Washington, Dec. 13 (CNA) American officials on Wednesday reiterated their support for Taiwan’s efforts to participate in the United Nations and other global organizations, during a meeting with visiting Taiwanese foreign affairs representatives in Washington.
The meeting, the latest one held under the umbrella of the U.S.-Taiwan Working Group Meeting on International Organizations, discussed how the U.S. could help Taiwan gain participation in the U.N., among other matters, according a press release from the U.S. State Department.
“This discussion focused on near-term opportunities to support Taiwan’s expanded participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) and other global public health bodies, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as Taiwan’s meaningful participation in non-UN international, regional, and multilateral organizations,” the State Department said.
The officials from the State Department and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also talked about opportunities for the two sides to jointly enhance technical standards and economic cooperation, according to the press release, which did not disclose any names.
The talks extended to global public health, aviation safety, climate change and the environment, and transnational crime, the State Department said.
During the discussions, the American officials praised Taiwan’s “world-class expertise” in those areas and reiterated the U.S.’ commitment to Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization and International Civil Aviation Organization, the press release said.
“All participants recognized the importance of working closely with likeminded partners who share our concerns regarding attempts to exclude Taiwan from the international community,” the State Department.
The latest round of bilateral discussions on the issue was convened by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) – the de facto U.S. embassy in the absence of diplomatic ties – and its counterpart in the U.S., the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).
It was the second round of discussions held under the U.S.-Taiwan Working Group Meeting on International Organizations, following a meeting in April, also in Washington D.C., ahead of the 76th WHA in Geneva in May, which again excluded Taiwan, according to a MOFA press release Thursday.
The bilateral meeting is usually held at least once a year primarily to discuss how the U.S. could help Taiwan deal with the latter’s’ exclusion from U.N. amid pressure from China. MOFA said.
Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China, left the U.N. in 1971, when the People’s Republic of China took its place, and it has since been excluded from the U.N.’s special agencies.
On the website of the AIT, one of the standing statements is that the U.S. has and will continue to support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations where statehood is not a requirement and will encourage Taiwan’s meaningful participation in organizations where its membership is not possible.
