For Immediate Release
Washington DC – December 22, 2017
Contact: (202) 547-3686
US REPRESENTATIVES URGE AMBASSADOR HALEY TO PRESS CHINA TO STOP BLOCKING TAIWAN TOURISTS FROM ENTERING THE UN BUILDING IN NEW YORK
In a letter dated December 22, 2017, Reps. Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) urge Ambassador Nikki R. Haley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, to use her good offices towards finding a solution for the predicament Taiwanese tourists that seek to visit the United Nations building in New York face.
According to news reports, China has managed to convince the United Nations to block Taiwanese tourists from entering UN headquarters in New York. Allegedly, this new policy was implemented after current Taiwan democratically elected president Tsai Ing-wen was inaugurated in May 2016.
The Representatives wrote: “As senior members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, we write to express our deep concern that Taiwanese tourists are being denied access to the United Nations building in New York. […] Today, Taiwan stands as an example of true freedom and democracy against Beijing’s authoritarianism and territorial ambitions.”
According to senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Bonnie Glaser, “Every Chinese diplomat is tasked to impede, block and hamper Taiwan’s international space whenever there is an opportunity…I do think we have to push back and not simply look the other way and maybe this is something that if it is not done too publicly we could influence how the UN is operating on this.” (Taipei Times, June 17, 2016.)
In a related development, Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Minister Lee Ying-yuan was barred from attending the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Germany from Nov. 6-17; another manifestation of China’s bullying of Taiwan and of the community of nations.
FAPA President Peter Chen says: “This action by the Chinese very much illustrates that there is no level the Chinese won’t stoop down to humiliate and bully the people of Taiwan. We at FAPA have talked to Congressional offices on Capitol Hill about this predicament that Taiwanese tourists face, and each and every time, members of Congress and staff were filled with indignation. Solving this problem would be a small step for the US but a big step for the people of Taiwan towards more dignity and respect in the international community.”
美眾議員敦促美國駐聯合國大使海利應施壓中國停止阻撓台灣遊客進入紐約聯合國總部大樓
2017年12月22日，夏波眾議員(Steve Chabot) 和史密斯眾議員(Chris Smith) 致函要求美國駐聯合國大使海利 (Nikki R. Haley) 應充分行使其能力，幫助解決台灣旅客無法進入紐約聯合國總部大樓參觀的困境。
根據新聞報導，在駐聯合國中國代表團要求下，位於紐約的聯合國總部大樓目前禁止台灣旅客入內參觀，據稱這項新政策是自台灣民選總統蔡英文女士於2016年五月宣誓就職後才開始實施。
兩位眾議員在信中寫道：「作為眾議院外交事務委員會的資深成員，我們藉此信表達對於台灣遊客被阻擋進入紐約聯合國大樓的深切擔憂[…]今日，台灣仍是最佳的例證，持續以民主、自由價值對抗北京的威權主義與侵略野心。」
美國國際戰略研究中心(CSIS)亞洲資深研究員葛來儀(Bonnie Glaser) 在2016年六月17日台北時報的訪問內指出，「抓住每一個可以妨礙，縮減以及阻擋台灣國際空間的機會是所有中國外交人員的任務。我認為我們應該反制，而不只是睜一隻眼閉一隻眼。也許在不是太公開的情況下，我們可以影響聯合國對這件事情的操作。」
最新報導，聯合國氣候變化綱要公約UNFCCC第23次締約方會議（COP 23）上個月6日至17日於德國波昂舉辦，台灣環保署長李應元卻因中國施壓而被拒於會議門外。
本事件是中國以蠻橫態度打壓台灣與國際社會的另一明證。台灣人公共事務會會長陳正義表示，「中國的這項舉動充分展現為了羞辱與霸凌台灣人民，他們可以無下限的使出各種手段。FAPA已經告知美國國會議員關於台灣遊客遭遇的阻撓與困境，每一次每一位國會議員與其助理得知此事後，都會為此打抱不平。解決這個問題對美國來說或許只是一小步，但卻是台灣人民在國際社會上獲得更多尊嚴與敬重的一大步。」
