Li-hsin Liu: Canada should push the United Nations to allow Taiwan to participate – Vancouver Sun Feedzy

Home to many firsts, Taiwan is recognized by many countries as the beacon of democracy in Asia.

With a female president and a legislature where 40 per cent of its members are women, the country has led the way in gender equality. With the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2019, the democratic powerhouse has pioneered LGBTQ rights on the continent.

With an unwavering commitment to transparency, the country was also the first to mobilize a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to successfully fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic.

This level of openness to diversity has enabled people across Taiwan to harness their creativity in coming up with new and exciting solutions to achieve various sustainable development goals laid out by the United Nations.

Farmers and technology leaders have combined agricultural processes with blockchain applications to boost efficiency and enhance food security. Healthcare professionals have partnered with innovators to use artificial intelligence and telemedicine to boost medical capacity, saving time for patients and caregivers.

Taiwan is more than qualified and willing to make meaningful contributions to the international community but has been unable to join the UN due to the objections of one country — China.

This has left a blind spot in global efforts to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. As climate change brings rising sea levels, heat waves, wildfires — like the ones that unfolded in B.C. — and a slew of challenges to public health, the world must be united in its response.

As such, Canada and other like-minded allies should push the UN to uphold its principle of leaving no one behind by allowing Taiwan to participate in the UN system, instead of excluding it from discussions on issues requiring global cooperation.

A 1971 resolution by the UN General Assembly only determines who occupies the seat reserved for the member state of China. It does not give Beijing the right to represent the people of Taiwan in the UN or its specialized agencies.

A good first step to ameliorate this situation would be to allow Taiwanese individuals and journalists to attend or cover relevant meetings, as well as ensure Taiwan’s substantive inclusion in meetings and mechanisms regarding UN sustainable development goals.

At the same time, the international coalition of democracies should continue to make it clear to China that fundamental differences across the Taiwan Strait must be solved by peaceful means as has been repeatedly stressed by global leaders in many different summit meetings such as G7, NATO and the East Asia Summit.

Ensuring peace and stability in this region should be on the top of everyone’s minds, as Taiwan plays a vital role in global supply chains.

Half of the world’s commercial container traffic passes through the Taiwan Strait each day, and Taiwan produces the majority of the world’s semiconductors. Any conflict in the area would have dire consequences for the global economy.

The humanitarian and economic fallout associated with the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine have shown that it is imperative for the international community to come together with resolve to deter the spectre of autocracy from rearing its head elsewhere in the world.

Speaking to reporters at a pivotal press conference in May, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly was unequivocal about asserting Canada’s leadership in the defence of human rights around the world.

With autocracies seeking to overturn international rules-based order, Joly underscored that Canada must have a stronger voice at UN bodies and in the entire multilateral system.

As the 78th session of the UN General Assembly is reconvening in New York, we urge Ottawa and the global community to embrace Taiwan within the programs of the UN.

Taiwan is more than ready to take part in these initiatives together with Canada and other like-minded partners.

Li-hsin Liu is director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver.