TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan joined the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) on Tuesday (July 30), and the presidential office thanked the coalition for supporting Taiwan’s participation in United Nations (UN) agencies.
Taiwan joined the coalition with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) as co-chairs. Before the IPAC meeting began, the Kuomintang (KMT) said it would not send official representatives to the summit, but its legislators were free to attend if they wished.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Lii Wen (李問) thanked IPAC members for traveling to Taipei to support the government's aims. Lii said Taiwan joining IPAC provided an important platform for “legislative diplomacy.”
Lii said President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) told IPAC members Taiwan will work with international partners to “hold up the democratic umbrella.” Lai said he would work to counter “authoritarian expansion” while promoting peace and prosperity in the world, Lii said.
According to the Presidential Office, Lai said the IPAC delegation represented the largest meeting of foreign lawmakers ever in Taiwan, per AP. The 2024 IPAC delegation consisted of lawmakers from 29 countries and the European Parliament.
According to information published by CNA, IPAC members will also seek to pass motions in their home parliaments which will state UN Resolution 2758 does not mention the political entity that is the Republic of China (ROC), or address Taiwan's political status. The motion will also deny that the UN resolution gives the People’s Republic of China (PRC) sovereignty over the island of Taiwan.
UN Resolution 2758 was passed in 1971, which states that the “government of the People's Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the UN.” It also gave the UN Security Council's China seat to the PRC, which was held by the ROC before that.
The resolution expelled “the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石)” from the UN. Chiang was the leader of the ROC (Taiwan) and the KMT when the resolution was passed.
United Nations Resolution 2758
After Lai addressed the IPAC representatives on Tuesday, China foreign ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian (林劍) said IPAC lacks credibility, and is “hellbent on attacking China… and spreading lies.” Lin also said Lai’s administration is using force to pursue Taiwan independence.
When a reporter queried that assertion, Lin indicated that it was the ministry’s view that Taiwan’s foreign weapons purchases were a sign of force. “No matter how they try to beef up ‘national defense’ and pedal the ‘democracy versus authoritarianism’ narrative, they will not stop the trend towards China’s reunification,” Lin said.
