FAPA INITIATES A JOINT LETTER TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL, CALLING FOR FULL UNITED NATIONS MEMBERSHIP FOR “TAIWAN” AND CONDEMNING CHINA FOR MISCHARACTERIZING UNGA RES. 2758

For Immediate Release
Washington, D.C. – September 25, 2024
Contact: 202-600-6819

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FAPA INITIATES A JOINT LETTER TO UN SECRETARY-GENERAL, CALLING FOR FULL UNITED NATIONS MEMBERSHIP FOR “TAIWAN” AND CONDEMNING CHINA FOR MISCHARACTERIZING UNGA RES. 2758

On September 24 ― the opening day of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) General Debate, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), together with 26 other overseas Taiwanese organizations, sent a joint letter to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for Taiwan’s admission to the UN as a “full Member State” under the name “Taiwan,” an end of incorrect UN references to Taiwan as a “province” or “part” of China, and allowing Taiwanese passport holders and journalists to enter the UN premises.

The initiator of the joint letter, FAPA President Dr. Su-Mei Kao notes: “Taiwan is already an independent sovereign country, and this is a long established ‘status quo’ of Taiwan. There are NO legal hurdles for Taiwan to join the United Nations. There is only one political obstacle — China’s long-sustained diplomatic bullying against Taiwan. Unfortunately, the UN entities and officials, in blatant disregard for the principles of the UN Charter, have succumbed to the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) political pressure and malicious mischaracterization of UNGA Resolution 2758 to block Taiwan’s membership and participation in this world body. All these grave injustices and discriminations against Taiwan must be corrected immediately.”

In the joint open letter, FAPA and all co-signatory overseas Taiwanese organizations point out that: “Taiwan possesses all four qualifications for statehood as defined in Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention: a permanent population, a defined territory, an effective central government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.” “Although Taiwan currently still lacks greater international recognition, Article 3 of the same Convention states clearly: ‘The political existence of the state is independent of recognition by other states.’”

Nonetheless, Taiwan has been excluded from the UN and many other international organizations for more than five decades.

This grave injustice is mainly due to China’s persistent distortion and misuse of the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, misleading the international community and the UN Secretariat into conflating Resolution 2758 with PRC’s fictitious “One China principle,” which falsely claims that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China” and that the PRC has jurisdiction over Taiwan.

On April 30, 2024, at a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on the topic of “U.S. Policy on Taiwan,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink stated in his testimony: “We are pushing back against the PRC’s efforts to mischaracterize UN General Assembly resolution 2758, which did not constitute a UN institutional position on the ultimate political status of Taiwan, has no bearing on countries’ sovereign decisions regarding their relationships with Taiwan, and does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system or in any other multilateral forum. Moreover, resolution 2758 did not endorse, is not equivalent to, and does not reflect a consensus for the PRC’s ‘One China Principle,’ a concept that refers to the PRC’s own position with respect to Taiwan and that is distinct from the U.S. one China policy.”

In the current U.S. Congress, FAPA’s top legislative priority is for the passage of the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, a bicameral, bipartisan bill which seeks to clarify that UNGA 2758 does not preclude the United States to use its influence on the international stage to resist PRC’s malign campaign against Taiwan. Earlier this month, at FAPA’s annual National Advocacy Conference, more than 80 FAPA members from across the United States visited over 100 congressional offices on the Hill advocating for Taiwan, including the Taiwan International Solidarity Act consistently receiving support from both houses of Congress and both sides of the aisle.

PRC’s manipulation has made apparent gains in the UN system, including: “the UN’s unjust denials of Taiwan’s membership and participation, falsely based on Resolution 2758; the UN’s mistaken references to Taiwan as ‘Taiwan, province of China,’ or ‘integral part’ or ‘part’ of China; and the UN’s discriminatory ban on Taiwanese passport holders and journalists from entering the UN headquarters and other premises.”

“All these injustices and discriminations are blatant violations of the fundamental principles found in the UN Charter: universal membership, self-determination, sovereign equality of States, non-aggression, and non-discrimination,” the letter says.

“It is our shared aspiration to see Taiwan join the United Nations and all its specialized agencies as a ‘full Member State,’ under the name ‘Taiwan’ and as the newest 194th member of this august body,” the letter says, adding that doing so “will also enhance peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region.”

We urge “the UN and the rest of the world to stand together with democratic Taiwan to deter increasing threats and military aggression by an authoritarian China.” “Only then can peace be truly secured.”

FAPA President Dr. Kao continues: “Since only ‘sovereign states’ can become UN members, the Taiwan government’s formal application for full UN membership under the name ‘Taiwan’ would also have a profound legal implication and an effect in international law — namely, Taiwan’s self-assertion and reaffirmation of its ‘independence’ and ‘statehood.’ Even if Taiwan most likely cannot join the United Nations successfully anytime soon, it is still critically important for the Taiwan government to apply for ‘Taiwan’s’ UN membership every year until Taiwan eventually becomes a UN member.”

At the end of the letter, FAPA and all co-signatory overseas Taiwanese organizations jointly urge the UN Secretary-General and UN officials to live up to the principles of the UN Charter, calling on them to cease blocking Taiwan’s admission to the UN, stop referring to Taiwan as a “province” or “part” of China, and allow Taiwanese passport holders and journalists to enter the UN premises.

 

＊Read the full joint letter HERE.

 

FAPA發起連署致函聯合國秘書長  力挺「台灣」成為聯合國正式會員國

在9月24日，第79屆聯合國大會總辯論開始之際，台灣人公共事務會（FAPA）以及其他26個海外台灣人組織，連署致函聯合國秘書長古特瑞斯（António Guterres），共同呼籲讓台灣得以「台灣」名義成為聯合國的正式會員國，即刻停止聯合國體系將台灣誤稱為中國的「一省」或「一部分」的荒謬做法，並允許台灣護照持有者及媒體記者進入聯合國場域進行參訪。

發起連署信的FAPA會長林素梅博士表示：「台灣已是個主權獨立的國家，這是長久確立的台灣『現狀』 。台灣若要加入聯合國，並不存在任何法律障礙，但卻面對一個政治障礙，亦即中國對台灣的蠻橫外交霸凌。遺憾的是，聯合國機構與官員竟也不惜違背《聯合國憲章》的原則，屈服於中華人民共和國的政治壓力及對聯大2758號決議的惡意歪曲，妨礙台灣加入和參與這個世界機構。所有這些對台灣的嚴重不公與歧視，都必須立即停止與改正。」

FAPA及所有參與連署的海外台灣人組織，在公開信中表示：「台灣具備 1933 年簽訂的《蒙特維多公約》第一條所定義之國家成立四要件：常住人口、特定領土、有效統治的中央政府、以及與其他國家交往的能力。」儘管台灣目前仍缺乏廣泛的國際承認，但《蒙特維多公約》第三條亦明言：「國家的政治存在，獨立於其他國家的承認之外。」

儘管如此，台灣依然被排除在聯合國和許多國際組織之外，至今已長達五十多年。

造成此嚴重不公不義的主因，就是中國不斷歪曲及濫用聯合國大會第2758號決議，企圖誤導國際社會與聯合國秘書處，錯誤地將聯大2758號決議與北京虛構的「一個中國原則」恣意掛勾、混為一談，藉以謊稱台灣是「中國不可分割的一部分」，並胡謅中華人民共和國擁有對台灣的管轄權。

2024年4月30日，在美國參議院外交關係委員會亞太小組委員會針對「美國對台政策」舉行的聽證會上，美國國務院亞太助卿康達（Daniel Kritenbrink）作證表示：「我們正在反制中華人民共和國扭曲聯合國大會第2758號決議的企圖與行徑。該決議並未構成聯合國對台灣最終政治地位的官方機構立場，也不影響各國關於其與台灣間關係的主權決定，亦不排除台灣有意義地參與聯合國體系及任何其他多邊組織。此外，第2758號決議沒有認可、不等同於、也不反映有共識於中華人民共和國的『一個中國原則』。此概念是指中華人民共和國自身對台灣的立場，與美國的一個中國政策並不同。」

在本屆美國國會中，FAPA的首要立法優先事項是推動《台灣國際團結法》的通過。這是一項跨兩院、跨兩黨的法案，旨在澄清聯大第 2758 號決議並不排除美國在國際上使用其影響力來反制中國對台灣的惡意打壓。在本月稍早，於FAPA年度「全國倡議大會」期間，來自美國各地的80多名FAPA會員走訪了國會山莊100多個參眾議員辦公室，極力為台灣發聲，倡議友台法案，其中就包括獲得國會兩院、跨黨派高度支持的《台灣國際團結法》。

中共的立場與謊言至少在三方面於聯合國體系內取得了混淆是非的成效：「聯合國官方錯誤援引聯大2758號決議，不公正地持續拒絕台灣的正式會籍及實際參與；聯合國官僚系統荒謬地將台灣誤稱為『中國台灣省』或是中國『不可分割的一部分』或『一部分』；以及聯合國官方歧視性地禁止台灣護照持有者和記者進入聯合國總部及其他所屬場所。」

該信批評：「所有這些不公正和歧視都公然違反了《聯合國憲章》的基本原則：會籍普遍化、人民自決、國家主權平等、禁止侵略、以及反歧視。」

我們的共同願望是，「看到台灣以『正式會員國』身分加入聯合國及其所有專門機構，並以『台灣』名義成為這個莊嚴機構的第194位新進成員國」。若能如此，「亦將有助於促進台灣海峽及印太地區的和平與穩定」。

我們呼籲，「聯合國和世界各國挺身而出，與民主台灣共同站在一起」，才能「有效嚇阻威權中國日益增長的軍事威脅與侵略」。唯有如此，「也才可能確保真正的和平」。

FAPA林會長繼續說道：「由於只有『主權國家』才有資格成為聯合國會員國，台灣政府以『台灣』名義正式申請聯合國會籍的同時，也會在國際法上產生極為重要的法律意義與效果  ——  亦即，台灣自我主張並重申其『獨立』主權、以及『國格』或『國家地位』（statehood）。即便台灣很可能無法在短期內成功入聯，但台灣政府每年以『台灣』名義申請加入聯合國，依然至關重要，直到台灣最終順利成為正式會員國為止。」

在信函文末，FAPA及所有參與連署的海外台灣人組織，共同敦促聯合國的秘書長及其他官員能恪遵《聯合國憲章》的原則與精神，並強烈呼籲秘書長及聯合國官方即刻取消對台灣加入聯合國的一切干擾，停止將台灣誤稱為中國的「一省」或「一部分」，並且允許台灣的國人與記者持台灣護照進入聯合國的場域。

＊連署信全文請見此

 

Petition Initiator（連署發起人）: 

Formosan Association for Public Affairs (台灣人公共事務會)

 

Co-Signatory Organizations（連署單位）:

  1. World Federation of Taiwanese Associations (世界台灣同鄉會聯合會)
  2. World Taiwanese Congress (世界台灣人大會)
  3. Taiwanese Hakka Association of the World (世界台灣客家聯合總會)
  4. European Federation of Taiwanese Associations (歐洲台灣協會)
  5. Taiwanese Association of America (全美台灣同鄉會)
  6. Formosan Association for Human Rights (全美台灣人權協會)
  7. North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association (北美洲台灣人教授協會)
  8. North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (北美洲台灣婦女會)
  9. North American Taiwanese Medical Association (北美洲台灣人醫師協會)
  10. Taiwan Hakka Association for Public Affairs in North America (北美台灣客家公共事務協會)
  11. Asociación de Taiwán en Argentina (阿根廷台灣協會)
  12. Asociación de Taiwán en Costa Rica (哥斯大黎加台灣協會)
  13. Associação Taiwanesa do Brasil (巴西台灣同鄉會)
  14. Asociación Cultural de Taiwan en Paraguay (巴拉圭台灣同鄉會)
  15. Vereinigung der Taiwanesen in Österreich (奧地利台灣協會)
  16. Taiwanese Association in Belgium (比利時台灣協會)
  17. Taiwan Association in Sweden (瑞典臺灣協會)
  18. Association Formose en France (法國台灣協會)
  19. Association des Taïwanaises en France (法國台灣女力新知會)
  20. Taiwanverein in Deutschland e.V. (德國台灣協會)
  21. All Japan Taiwanese Union (全日本台灣連合會)
  22. Taiwanese Association in Japan (在日台灣同鄉會)
  23. Australia Taiwan Culture Foundation Ltd. (澳台文化基金會)
  24. Taiwan Friendship Association of Queensland, Australia (澳洲昆士蘭台灣同鄉會)
  25. World United Formosans for Independence – USA (台灣獨立建國聯盟–美國本部)
  26. TaiwaneseAmerican.org

 

＊Click the image below to read the full joint letter (連署信全文，請見以下圖檔所連結之PDF附件)