IPAC Adopts “Model Resolution on 2758,” While President Lai Condemns China’s Distortion of UNGA Res. 2758 to Justify Its Aggression Against Taiwan
China has distorted and falsely linked the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 with its “One China principle” and misused the U.N. resolution to legitimize its acts to limit Taiwan’s international participation and justify its possible invasion of Taiwan, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said at the annual meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Taipei on July 30.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) falsely claims that the UNGA Resolution 2758 “confirmed” its “One China principle,” which asserts that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China,” and that the PRC has jurisdiction over Taiwan.
President Lai condemned Beijing for its intentional misinterpretation of U.N. Resolution 2758, including drawing a deceptive linkage of the resolution with its “One China principle.” The PRC’s move aims to not only “construct a legal basis for China’s military aggression against Taiwan” but also to impede Taiwan’s efforts to take part in international organizations, he said.
Lai also thanked the U.S. government and the European Parliament for repudiating China’s attempts to link the U.N. resolution with its “One China principle.”
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan was formally welcomed to join the IPAC at the group’s annual meeting on July 30. The meeting was attended by 49 lawmakers from 23 countries and the European Parliament, all being IPAC members.
Formed in 2020, IPAC has over 250 members from 39 countries and the European Parliament. It is an international, cross-party alliance of parliamentarians from democratic countries focused on promoting democracy and addressing threats posed by China.
Lai’s comments were followed by the alliance’s adoption of “IPAC Model Resolution on 2758” later the same day on July 30, according to which its members will seek to redress China’s “distortion” of the U.N. resolution by passing resolutions in their respective parliaments.
In its model resolution, IPAC expressed concern over “sustained efforts” by Chinese officials to distort the meaning of Resolution 2758 passed in 1971 by the U.N. General Assembly, which merely states that the PRC is the “only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations.”
IPAC added that the U.N. Resolution 2758 did not mention Taiwan, address its political status, or establish PRC sovereignty over Taiwan.
It is regrettable that China has distorted the meaning of the resolution to imply that it supports the PRC’s “One China principle,” and equally regrettable to see China altering historical documents, changing references to “Taiwan” to “Taiwan, Province of China.”
The IPAC asserted that the UNGA Resolution 2758 “does not establish the ‘One China Principle’ as a matter of international law” and “nothing in law prevents the participation of Taiwan in international organizations.”
In addition, the IPAC said the U.N. document had “no bearing on the sovereign choices of other countries with respect to their relationship with Taiwan” while voicing support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in U.N. agencies.
References:
[1] Focus Taiwan
[2] Taipei Times
China’s Attempts to Stop Their Visits to Taiwan “Unacceptable” and “Unsuccessful”: IPAC Members
Members of a visiting international alliance of parliamentarians said on July 30 that efforts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to pressure them not to attend the alliance’s annual meeting in Taipei was “unacceptable” and had been “unsuccessful.”
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group of hundreds of lawmakers concerned about China’s threat to global democracy, held its fourth annual meeting in Taipei with 49 lawmakers from 23 countries and the European Parliament in attendance on July 30 and 31.
Before the event took place, the IPAC confirmed an Associated Press report which said lawmakers from Bolivia, Colombia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and “one other Asian country that declined to be named,” had received emails and/or phone calls from PRC diplomatic officials in an attempt to stop them from departing for Taiwan to attend the IPAC meeting.
In a statement issued on July 28, IPAC said it “deplores and condemns the PRC’s attempt to interfere in its annual summit.” “The PRC’s actions around the IPAC Summit are yet another example of brazen efforts to curtail other nations’ democratic privileges and negate Taiwan’s rights to engage in legitimate diplomatic exchanges,” it added.
Asked to comment on the situation during a press conference in Taipei held following the meeting on July 30, Miriam Lexmann, a Slovak politician and a member of the European Parliament, told reporters that she was one of the IPAC members who received a notice from a Chinese diplomat in her country.
“I think this is absolutely unacceptable that the Chinese Communist Party representatives contacted [IPAC] members who want to freely travel to Taiwan and do their job,” Lexmann said.
“It’s our job to secure human rights, security and prosperity for our citizens in our countries. And we believe that cooperation with Taiwan is bringing all of these and we do not want to be coerced, and we do not want to be put under any pressure.”
Her fellow IPAC member, Reinhard Bütikofer, chair of the European Parliament’s China Delegation, said no member “did not attend [the Taipei summit] because of Chinese efforts to interfere.”
“[The Chinese efforts] were utterly unsuccessful,” the German politician added.
During the same press conference, Taiwan’s Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim thanked IPAC for holding its annual meeting in Taipei.
“Your presence sends a powerful message of solidarity to the people of Taiwan, and highlights our shared commitment to advancing human rights, democracy, peace and prosperity for all through your visit here,” Hsiao said.
“We welcome opportunities such as this gathering to collectively work toward de-risking and de-escalating, while also upholding our cherished values of freedom and democracy,” the vice president added.
“Taiwan is committed to working with IPAC members, governments and civil societies globally, to boost our collective democratic resilience,” she added.
References:
[1] Focus Taiwan
[2] Taipei Times
Senators Sullivan, Duckworth Introduce Bill to Sanction China if Taiwan Attacked
On July 25, U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced the Sanctions Targeting Aggressors of Neighboring Democracies (STAND) with Taiwan Act of 2024, which would levy a wide range of sanctions on China should it initiate “a military invasion of Taiwan.”
The proposed bill “would impose devastating, comprehensive economic, energy, financial, and other sanctions on China” if “the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) initiates military aggression against Taiwan,” according to a press release issued by Senator Sullivan’s office on July 26.
The sanctions would include the targeting of “Chinese Communist Party members and Chinese financial institutions and industrial sectors, as well as prohibiting U.S. financial institutions, including investment companies, from making any investments in a Chinese entity that benefits or is affiliated with the CCP,” the release said.
The STAND with Taiwan Act would also restrict the importation of China-produced goods into the United States, it added.
“In these increasingly dangerous times, it is critical that America show steady, unwavering bipartisan commitment and resolve in support of Taiwan’s democracy,” Senator Sullivan said.
Echoing Sullivan, Senator Duckworth also said in the press release that it was important for the U.S. as a global leader to show support for Taiwan, which is facing escalating threats from China.
“With this legislation, we’re sending a strong message to our partner [Taiwan] and our competitors that we are here for long haul — and we won’t tolerate the kind of unilateral aggression that would endanger a democratic friend and the health and stability of the global economy,” she said.
If passed into law, the STAND with Taiwan Act would “require the imposition of sanctions with respect to the People’s Republic of China if the People’s Liberation Army initiates a military invasion of Taiwan,” according to the draft text of the bill.
The term “military invasion” is defined in the bill to include amphibious landings, airborne operations, aerial bombardments or blockades, missile attacks, naval bombardments or blockades, or an “attack on any territory controlled or administered by the Government of Taiwan, including offshore islands.”
The two senators were among the visiting U.S. Congressional delegation to Taiwan in May 2024, during which time they met with President Lai Ching-te at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
