For Immediate Release
Washington DC – September 9, 2022
Contact: (202) 547-3686, 202-247-0834
JOINT OVERSEAS TAIWANESE ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR FULL UNITED NATIONS MEMBERSHIP FOR TAIWAN IN LETTER TO UN SECRETARY GENERAL
In a letter dated September 9 to United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, the presidents of the joint overseas Taiwanese organizations conclude: “It is the aspiration of overseas Taiwanese to see Taiwan join the UN 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 Presidents state that “When the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) opens on September 13, 2022, the 23.5 million people of Taiwan will again be simply ignored, left out in the cold without legitimate representation.”
They argue that “In 1971, the UNGA Resolution 2758 awarded a seat to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and expelled ‘the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek,’ but did not grant the PRC the right to represent the people of Taiwan, nor did it recognize China’s territorial claim over Taiwan.”
They add that “Chinese attempts to cite this UNGA Resolution to ‘justify’ Taiwan’s exclusion from the UN are therefore absurd and baseless.”
“Meeting all the criteria of statehood under international law, Taiwan has long been an independent sovereign country. It is a proactive major contributor to the international community — a beacon of democracy for countries around the world to emulate.”
They conclude that “The right of Taiwan to fully participate in the international community should not be restricted by China’s political bullying and territorial ambitions. Inclusion of Taiwan in the UN will stabilize the entire Asia-Pacific region and make the United Nations a much more representative world body.”
Adding: “The time is now for the United Nations and the rest of the world to jointly stand up against China and its lawless and out of control bullying of Taiwan, and say: “Enough Is Enough!”
Initiator of the letter, FAPA President Minze Chien Ph.D., adds: “We believe that the 23.5 million people of Taiwan deserve to walk proudly through the front door of the UN and its affiliated organizations under the name ‘Taiwan’ and as a full and new member.”
Dr, Chien continues “We appreciate current U.S. support for “meaningful participation” and Taiwan’s past experience of joining the World Health Assembly under the name “Chinese, Taipei” but it is humiliating! Taiwan is a sovereign independent country and fulfills all conditions for full UN membership. There are NO legal hurdles for Taiwan to join the United Nations. There is just one hurdle and it is a political one — it is called “China.”
Signatories of the letter:
Minze Chien (Ph.D.) President, Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)
PoFu Hsieh (D.D.S.) President, North American Taiwanese Medical Association (NATMA)
Li-Lin Cheng (Ph.D.) President, North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association (NATPA)
Kueiling Chen President, Taiwanese Association of America (TAA)
Susan Chang President, World Taiwanese Congress (WTC)
Mark Kao (Ph.D.) President, Formosan Association for Public Relations (FAPR)
Pey-Fen Fu President, World Federation of Taiwanese Associations (WFTA)
Wilhelmina Huang President, European Federation of Taiwanese Associations (EFTA)
Ming-hong Chow (Ph.D.) President, World United Formosans for Independence – United States of America (WUFI-USA)
Hui-Na Lin President, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA)
海外台灣人組織共同致函聯合國秘書長,呼籲支持台灣成為聯合國正式會員國
在9月9日致聯合國秘書長古特瑞斯(António Guterres)的一封聯名信中,海外台灣人組織的會長們總結道:「海外台灣人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』名義成為此莊嚴機構的第194位新成員國。」
會長們表示,「當第77屆聯合國大會(UNGA)於2022年9月13日開幕時,台灣2350萬人民將再次被完全忽視,冷漠地被排除在外,而毫無合法的代表。」
他們認為,「1971年聯大第2758號決議僅授予中華人民共和國聯合國席位,並驅逐了『蔣介石的代表』,但並未授權中華人民共和國代表台灣人民,也從未承認中國對台灣的領土主張。」
他們補充道,「因此,中國試圖引用此聯大決議以『正當化』將台灣排除於聯合國之外,顯然是極為荒謬且毫無依據的。」
「台灣具備國際法上的所有國家要件,長期以來一直是個獨立的主權國家。它是國際社會中的積極主要貢獻者,也是世界各國效仿的民主燈塔。」
他們總結:「台灣充分參與國際社會的權利,不應受到中國的政治霸凌與領土野心的限制。將台灣納入聯合國將穩定整個亞太地區,並使聯合國成為更具完整代表性的世界機構。」
「現在是聯合國和世界各國攜手站出來,共同反對中國對台灣的非法及失控霸凌,並嚴正表示已『忍無可忍』的時候了!」
發起這封聯名信的FAPA會長簡明子博士補充道:「我們認為,台灣2350萬人民完全有資格以『台灣』的名義以及聯合國正式新會員國國民之身分,自豪地走進聯合國及其附屬組織的大門。」
簡博士繼續表示:「我們感謝美國目前對台灣『有意義參與』的支持,以及台灣過去以『中華台北』名義參加世界衛生大會的經歷,但這其實是相當令人羞辱與委屈的! 台灣是個主權獨立的國家,具備成為聯合國正式會員國的所有條件。 這世上並不存在任何法律障礙阻擾台灣加入聯合國,而只有一個政治障礙──亦即中國。」
聯名信簽署人:
簡明子(博士) 台灣人公共事務會(FAPA)會長
謝博夫(牙科醫師) 北美台灣人醫師協會(NATMA)會長
鄭麗伶(博士) 北美洲台灣人教授協會(NATPA)會長
陳桂鈴 全美台灣同鄉會(TAA)會長
程韻如 世界台灣人大會(WTC)會長
高龍榮(博士) 台灣人公共關係會(FAPR)會長
傅佩芬 世界台灣同鄉會聯合會(WFTA)會長
黃愛華 歐洲台灣協會聯合會(EFTA)會長
周明宏 台灣獨立建國聯盟美國本部(WUFI-USA)主席
賴慧娜 北美洲台灣婦女會(NATWA)會長
Full Text of The Letter
Photo Credit: Jonathan ansel moy de vitry on Unsplash