US official accuses China of distorting UN resolution for self interest
- In Reports
- 12:45 PM, May 01, 2024
- Myind Staff
According to a report from the Central News Agency Taiwan, Mark Lambert, the US Department of State China coordinator and deputy assistant secretary for China and Taiwan, accused China of distorting United Nations Resolution 2758 for its own interest. He claimed that China was conflating it with its "one-China principle."
During a seminar organized by the German Marshall Fund, Lambert advocated for backing Taiwan's substantial engagement in the international community amid China's growing misinterpretation of Resolution 2758.
Lambert noted that Resolution 2758 had a significant impact by altering the occupant of the China seat at the UN.
"Today, however, the People's Republic of China (PRC) increasingly distorts and exploits Resolution 2758 for its own agenda," Lambert remarked.
"Beijing distorts the resolution by inaccurately associating it with China's one-China principle and falsely claims that it represents an international consensus in favour of its one-China principle," he added, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan.
Resolution 2758, adopted by the 26th UN General Assembly in 1971, aimed to address the issue of China's representation in the UN system. As a result, the UN expelled Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), and recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole lawful representative of China.
This resolution, passed on October 25, 1971, specifically acknowledges the PRC as the "only lawful representative of China."
However, both the Taiwan and U.S. governments have consistently argued that Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan, does not affirm that Taiwan is part of the PRC, and does not explicitly authorise Beijing to represent Taiwan in the UN system, as reported by Central News Agency Taiwan.
Lambert clarified that the one-China principle explicitly asserts China's claim that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory.
He emphasised that Resolution 2758 holds no relevance to sovereign decisions made by countries regarding their relationships with Taiwan. Such determinations, he asserted, fall outside the jurisdiction of the UN General Assembly.
The U.S. official highlighted China's attempt to sway partner countries' decisions on Taiwan relations by linking Resolution 2758 with its one-China principle. Lambert stressed that the resolution doesn't dictate Taiwan's political status or prevent its meaningful participation in international organizations. He criticised China for hindering global cooperation by misusing the resolution.
Lambert advocated for Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly to enhance global health efforts. He suggested that Taiwan's exclusion from international forums like the WHA has had detrimental effects on global health preparedness. Taiwan previously participated in the WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016.
Image source: ANI
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