《TAIPEI TIMES》 Group in letter to Guterres asks for UN inclusion

‘INTERNATIONAL LEADER’: Taiwan fulfills the criteria for statehood, holds democratic elections, and respects free speech and human rights, a letter to the UN head said

By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff writer

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Taiwan United Nations Alliance president Tommy Lin （林逸民） yesterday sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging the UN to include Taiwan as a member state.

The letter followed one sent on Friday to Guterres by global organizations representing Taiwanese communities overseas, making the same appeal ahead of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, which is to convene from tomorrow to Sept. 27 at UN headquarters in New York.

Taiwan has not been represented at the UN since UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971 expelled the representatives of former president Chiang Kai-shek （蔣介石） and recognized the People’s Republic of China （PRC） as the sole representative of China.

Lin said in his letter that this has been an injustice to the people in Taiwan.

“Taiwan is not seeking to replace or remove the PRC as a member state,” but is calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN as a full member, he wrote.

Taiwan not only fulfills the criteria for statehood as defined by the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States — registered by the UN’s predecessor, the League of Nations — but holds democratic elections regularly and respects human rights and freedom of speech, Lin wrote.

Taiwan “has emerged as an international leader in healthcare and economic development,” he wrote, citing Taiwan’s donations of masks and pharmaceutical supplies to other countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its high ranking in economic freedoms.

“Taiwan has contributed significantly to the global community,” he said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES