UN Organizations: Taiwan’s Exclusion Should Not Be Tolerated

Published in Sankei News
(Japan) on 29 October 2021
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Max Guerrera-Sapone. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement that the U.S. supports Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in the United Nations, and appealed to other U.N. member states for agreement.

In the battle with the coronavirus, Taiwan displayed a world-class response. However, at the meeting of the World Health Organization’s governing body in May, China blocked Taiwan’s recognition as an observer country by that body, preventing the world from learning from Taiwan’s peerless effort to suppress the virus. Blinken further stated that “[This is] not a political issue, but a pragmatic one. ... Taiwan’s exclusion undermines the important work of the U.N. and its related bodies.”

Blinken’s remarks hit the nail on the head.

Taiwan has a population of 24 million people. In the battle with this infectious disease, having a region of this size as a “void” in U.N. organizations puts the world at a great disadvantage.

Taiwan possesses advanced technology not just in the area of public health, but in a variety of sectors. The role of the United Nations and its related organizations is to take advantage of these local strengths and apply them at the global level.

Japan has also supported Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the WHO, but was unfortunately unsuccessful in its efforts. China’s strong influence within the WHO, and the U.N.’s exclusion of Taiwan, cannot be ignored. Japan should move quickly to express support for Blinken’s statement.

Taiwan is currently advocating for its participation in the November annual general meeting of Interpol. A void in the international organization devoted to fighting crime is just as undesirable. It is best to reflect the opinions of as many countries and regions as is possible, particularly with regard to cybersecurity.

China’s bizarre overreaction to Blinken’s statement has been remarkable. The Chinese embassy in the U.S. issued a vehement protest, calling the statement a challenge to the “One China” policy, and declaring that it would “by no means accept” Taiwan’s participation.

U.S. President Joe Biden criticized China’s actions toward Taiwan during the virtually held East Asia summit as “coercive.” America must protect Taiwan from this kind of military pressure.

In September, China and Taiwan, in succession, applied for admittance to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. If Taiwan were to join, the agreement would become one of the few spaces where Taiwan can engage in multilateral economic relations. Japan should completely support Taiwan in this endeavor. If China is allowed in first, there is no doubt that Taiwan’s admission will become impossible. Japan should take a firm stance on this point.





ブリンケン米国務長官が、米国は台湾の国連活動への「意味ある参加」を支持するとし、他の国連加盟国にも同調を求める声明を発表した。

新型コロナウイルスの大流行に直面し、台湾は世界でも第一級の対応を見せた。だが、5月の世界保健機関(WHO)総会は中国が立ちはだかってオブザーバー参加が認められず、世界はその先進的な取り組みを学ぶことができなかった。

ブリンケン氏は「これは政治問題でなく、現実的な課題だ。台湾の排除は、国連と関連機関の重要な活動を弱らせる」と述べた。

極めてもっともな指摘だ。

台湾は2400万の人口を擁する。世界を襲った感染症との戦いで、これほどの地域が国連機関の「空白」となる不利は大きい。

台湾は、公衆衛生の分野だけでなく、多くの分野で先進的な技術を持つ。これらを世界全体の繁栄につなげるのも、国連や関連機関の役割である。

WHOのオブザーバー参加に向けては日本も後押ししたが、力が及ばなかった。中国が強い影響力を有するWHOの現状も、国連機関の台湾排除も放置できない。ブリンケン氏の呼びかけに早速、賛意を表明すべきだ。

11月に開催される国際刑事警察機構(ICPO)の年次総会を前に台湾が参加への支持を求めている。犯罪に対処する国際連携においても世界に「空白」を作るべきではない。特に焦点のサイバーセキュリティー問題では多くの国・地域の声を反映させたい。

ブリンケン氏の声明に対してはむしろ、これに過剰に反応する中国政府の異様な姿が浮かびあがった。在米の中国大使館は報道官談話で、「一つの中国」原則への挑戦だと非難し、「絶対に受け入れられない」と猛反発した。

バイデン米大統領は、オンライン形式で開かれた東アジアサミットで、台湾に対する中国の行動を「強圧的」と批判した。軍事的圧力から、米国は台湾を守り抜かねばならない。

9月には、環太平洋戦略的経済連携協定(TPP)に中国と台湾が相次いで加入を申請した。台湾が入れば、台湾が経済で名を連ねる数少ない多国間の枠組みとなる。日本は全面的に支援したい。中国が先に加入を認められれば、台湾を拒否するのは間違いない。日本は毅(き)然(ぜん)と対応すべきだ。
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