Commentary
As global leaders gather in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the international community faces a profound crisis of confidence. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, coupled with rising authoritarian aggression in the Taiwan Strait, the East and South China Seas, and the Korean Peninsula, challenge the very core of multilateralism.
This year’s UNGA theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All,” is a timely call to action. However, any meaningful transformation of the U.N. system will remain incomplete without the inclusion of Taiwan—a highly resilient economic stakeholder and a proven partner in humanitarian aid and sustainable development.
Taiwan has long demonstrated its commitment to being a “force for good” through its government initiatives, vibrant civil society, and cutting-edge tech industries. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Taiwanese government, alongside the private sector, has contributed over US$130 million to rebuild critical infrastructure and provide humanitarian relief. Through the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, Taiwan has successfully integrated digital health-care systems in Paraguay, constructed strategic oil reserves in Eswatini, and advanced smart medical technology at Palau National Hospital.
These initiatives offer practical blueprints for data management, energy security, and industrial growth—core pillars of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Beyond its humanitarian portfolio, Taiwan is indispensable to global economic stability. As a critical hub for international shipping lanes and a primary artery for global technology supply chains, peace in the Taiwan Strait is not just a regional concern but a global imperative. This reality is consistently echoed by the G7 and in bilateral ministerial meetings between Canada and its allies. Canada’s concrete actions—such as transiting naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait—send a powerful message that maintaining cross-strait stability is vital to the rules-based international order.
Regrettably, geopolitical manoeuvring continues to paralyze the U.N.’s core mission. Just as Russia abuses its veto power in the Security Council, the People’s Republic of China systematically weaponizes UNGA Resolution 2758. By falsely conflating this resolution with its own “One China principle,” Beijing blocks Taiwan from participating in the U.N. system. Adopted in 1971, Resolution 2758 addressed only the representation of China; the text does not mention Taiwan, determine its political status, or exclude it from U.N. specialized agencies.
The true spirit of the island was captured by the recent theme of TaiwanFest, an annual cultural landmark in Toronto and Vancouver: “Let Taiwan be Taiwan.” This sentiment resonates deeply with the 125,000 Taiwanese Canadians and the millions living in Taiwan’s robust, free society. Decades of democratic governance have forged a distinct, resilient identity—one that has only strengthened in the face of persistent military intimidation from Beijing.
Political pressure may bar Taiwanese experts from U.N. halls, but it cannot diminish Taiwan’s capacity or willingness to contribute to global progress. If the U.N. truly wishes to “deliver for all” and leave no one behind, it must move past political exclusion. Inviting Taiwan to participate in the U.N. system is not a political concession—it is a pragmatic necessity for a safer, more sustainable world.
Angel Li-hsin Liu is director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
