Building an inclusive United Nations with Taiwan on board

This July, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen transited through New York, an icon of diversity and freedom and home to the United Nations. While meeting with the permanent representatives to the UN of Taiwan’s allies, President Tsai reiterated that Taiwan’s 23 million people have the right to participate in the UN system. She also emphasized that Taiwan is committed to joining hands with global partners to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to forge the world we want, and the future we need. The SDGs form a blueprint for a better and more sustainable future, aiming to guide the world down a sustainable and resilient path with “no one left behind.” In the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development this July, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed again the pressing need to accelerate relevant actions. Likewise, he called on nations to advance the “inclusion imperative” because “development is not sustainable if it is not fair and inclusive.” Canada has been a principal advocate for “inclusive prosperity” when it comes to international development. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau once said, “We cannot build a better world unless we work together, respect our differences, protect the vulnerable, and put people at the heart of the decisions we make.” This means ensuring that all parties are at the table, working towards common goals such as improved health outcomes, reduced inequality, and broad-based economic growth. The principles of inclusiveness and leaving no one behind are key to realizing the SDGs. Taiwan, a full-fledged democracy, has made considerable progress in fulfilling the SDGs and has provided assistance to countries in need. Nevertheless, it continues to be barred from participating in related meetings, mechanisms, and activities due to political interference. This has seriously undermined the principle of partnership which requires the participation of all countries, stakeholders, and peoples. Taiwan is willing and ready to share its success story and contribute further to the collective effort to achieve the SDGs. In recent years, Taiwan has been providing development assistance to and engaging in cooperation programs with partner countries in the Pacific, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In 2018 alone, Taiwan conducted development projects in SDG areas of interest in 39 countries. We will continue to track international trends and the needs of partner countries to ensure that all operations are aligned with the SDGs. Given Taiwan’s robust experience and contributions, the UN status quo on Taiwan is absurd. The oft-cited legal basis for excluding Taiwan from the UN is Resolution 2758 (XXVI), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971. However, the resolution does not address the issue of Taiwan’s representation in the UN, nor does it state that Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In fact, Taiwan is not, nor has it ever been, part of the PRC. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent its 23 million people. Unfortunately, the UN continues to misuse and misinterpret the resolution to justify its wrongful exclusion and isolation of Taiwan. The UN is intended to meet the common objectives of its members, not to serve the interests of just one member. Article 100 of the UN Charter clearly states that, “In the performance of their duties the Secretary-General and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the Organization.” Regrettably, the UN sits idly by whenever China seeks to impose its so-called “one China principle” on the UN system. The most recent example involves dozens of NGOs being denied consultative status by the UN Economic and Social Council simply because a reference to Taiwan in their documents contradicts China’s demands. A truly inclusive UN would not leave anyone behind. However, Taiwanese passport holders are blocked from entering UN premises for visits and meetings, and Taiwanese journalists and media outlets are denied accreditation to cover UN meetings. These practices are unjust and discriminatory, contravening the principle of universality upon which the UN was founded. This dire situation does not, and never will, intimidate Taiwan. Taiwan is ready, willing and able to contribute. If the UN continues to yield to China’s coercion, it will only encourage Beijing’s callousness, further imperiling goals such as the SDGs. If the host of nations is serious about promoting inclusion and sustainable development for all, then countries like Canada should seek to rectify decades of UN hypocrisy, making the case that this most pre-eminent of global institutions should open its doors to Taiwan. Jaushieh Joseph Wu is Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Hill Times