Marshall Islands President calls for Taiwan's return to international organizations at UN

During the general debate of this session of the United Nations General Assembly, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine once again spoke up for Taiwan in her capacity as the head of state of an ally, pointing out that only a democratically elected government can legitimately represent Taiwan. She urged the United Nations to find a mechanism that allows Taiwan to participate in various meetings in a substantive manner. Heine's remarks closely tied into the history and current controversy of United Nations General Resolution 2758, reminding the international community that if this resolution is misinterpreted or abused, it could potentially evolve in the future into a basis for legal coercion or military action against Taiwan. She emphasized that diplomatic appeasement alone cannot curb the ambitions of aggressors, and that only by building upon the principle of democratic legitimacy can Taiwan secure its rightful voice on the international stage.

Resolution 2758 was passed in 1971, officially recognizing the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of "China" and expelling the Republic of China (namely Taiwan) from the United Nations. While this move garnered the support of a majority of countries at the time, it also created a situation over the subsequent half-century where Taiwan has been long excluded from international organizations. Since then, although Taiwan has demonstrated excellence in fields such as economy, technology, and public health, it has been unable to participate in the United Nations and its specialized agencies as a member or observer due to its lack of formal international legal status. Heine's statement specifically targets this historical legacy issue, calling on the United Nations to re-examine the scope of application of the resolution and prevent it from becoming a tool to suppress Taiwan's participation.

The relationship between the Marshall Islands and Taiwan is long-standing, with the two nations maintaining close interaction in diplomatic and economic cooperation. As a staunch ally of the United States in the Pacific region, the Marshall Islands frequently speaks up for Taiwan in international arenas. This is not only based on shared democratic values, but also reflects the strategic choices of small island nations amidst great power competition. The timing of Heine's remarks coincided with intensifying geopolitical maneuvering between the United States and China in the Asia-Pacific, where Taiwan's international space is seen as a focal point of contestation between the two major powers. In recent years, the United States has repeatedly called for enhancing Taiwan's international participation in congressional and diplomatic settings, and the stance of the Marshall Islands echoes the policy orientation of the U.S., further strengthening Taiwan's support network on the international stage.

On a practical level, although Taiwan has failed to join the United Nations as a formal member, its efforts to secure observer or participant status in institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have repeatedly yielded results. During the pandemic periods of 2020 and 2021, Taiwan's epidemic prevention experience attracted global attention, prompting some countries to call on the WHO to accept Taiwan's professional contributions. Heine's speech once again highlighted that if the United Nations can accommodate the substantive participation of non-members in a more flexible manner, it will help enhance the diversity and professionalism of international public affairs while reducing exclusionary effects arising from political factors.

However, for mainland China, Resolution 2758 serves as the legal foundation for its "One China" policy, and any reinterpretation or revision of the resolution may be viewed as a challenge to its sovereignty claims. China continues to use diplomatic means in the UN Security Council and General Assembly to block Taiwan's participation, and warns other countries that they will face economic or political retaliation if they support Taiwan. Therefore, Heine's statement is not only a diplomatic expression of solidarity, but also a delicate balance at the intersection of international law and international politics, demonstrating that small nations can still exert influence in great power disputes and provide a platform for excluded voices.

In summary, the UN General Assembly speech by Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine reconnected Taiwan's participation issue with the historical context of Resolution 2758, calling on the international community to seek avenues for Taiwan's substantive participation based on the legitimacy of a democratically elected government. This move not only highlights the role of Pacific small island nations in global governance, but also reminds the United Nations that in the face of a changing international order, it must prevent outdated resolutions from becoming tools to suppress peace and diverse participation. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)