Politics

China says US support for Taiwan in UN threatens peace

Beijing, Oct 27 (EFE).- China Wednesday said the United States’ call for greater participation by Taiwan in United Nations posed major risks to regional and global peace and stability.

“China firmly opposes the latest comments made by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

Zhao said China had filed a formal complaint in this regard.

On Tuesday, Blinken urged all United Nations member states to join the US “in supporting Taiwan’s robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community.”

Blinken argued that Taiwan had become “a democratic success story” and a “valued partner and trusted friend” of the US.

“Its model supports transparency, respect for human rights, and the rule of law – values that align with those of the UN. Taiwan is critical to the global high-tech economy and a hub of travel, culture, and education,” Blinken said.

“The fact that Taiwan participated robustly in certain UN specialized agencies for the vast majority of the past 50 years is evidence of the value the international community places in Taiwan’s contributions.”

Blinken’s statements come shortly after the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the People’s Republic of China to the UN, which meant Taiwan being booted out in the face of Chinese pressure.

“We urge the US to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and stipulations in the three China-US joint communiques, be prudent with its words and actions on the Taiwan question,” the Chinese embassy in Washington said in a statement.

The statement urged the US to “avoid sending wrong signals to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, lest it should seriously damage China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

The US maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan and supplies defense resources to the island.

China insists that Taiwan is one of its provinces, and only Beijing can represent it internationally.

Taiwan, which has been self-ruled since 1949 and regards itself as a sovereign entity, is a key source of friction between China and the US, the island’s biggest weapons supplier.

Tensions between the two superpowers have grown in recent weeks in the wake of Chinese military plane activity in airspace near Taiwan and a Wall Street Journal report earlier this month that a small contingent of US special forces and marines have been deployed on the island for at least a year to secretly train local forces.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen thanked Blinken and stressed her government was “ready to work with all like-minded partners to contribute our expertise in international organizations, mechanisms and events.” EFE

jco/ssk

Related Articles

Back to top button