Taiwanese lawmakers and hundreds of Taiwanese expatriates on Saturday marched in New York City to promote Taiwan’s membership in the UN.
The march followed the opening on Tuesday of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, and ahead of the start of the annual general debate, which begins tomorrow and runs through Monday next week.
People from expatriate communities in New York City, Boston and Washington started the 3.2km-long march across the street from the office building housing the Chinese Consulate-General and headed toward Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in front of the UN headquarters.
Photo: CNA
New Power Party Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), who has participated twice in similar marches promoting UN membership for Taiwan, said China has spared no effort to squeeze Taiwan’s international space and has used its influence to keep the nation out of the world body.
Taiwan will be able to join the UN one day if the nation’s younger generations continue to demand participation in the organization, he said.
Many of the marchers carried flags and banners with slogans supporting Taiwan’s desire to join the UN and expressing opposition to China’s suppression.
Photo: CNA
Led by Hsu and Democratic Progressive Party legislators Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), Lee Li-feng (李麗芬) and Chen Man-li (陳曼麗), the march passed several New York City landmarks, including Times Square, Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building.
The marchers shouted slogans, including “Keep Taiwan Free,” “UN for Taiwan” and “Taiwan is Taiwan,” that drew support from onlookers.
The march finished in about 90 minutes, according to event organizer “Keep Taiwan Free,” which put the march’s turnout at about 500.
Because of China’s influence, not only has Taiwan been kept out of the world body, but Republic of China passport holders are not allowed to enter UN headquarters, which the lawmakers said was unfair to Taiwan.
They called on the UN and the international community to support Taiwan, which upholds the values of human rights and democracy, and live up to their commitment as part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind.
Participation in the UN system is a long-standing goal that the government and the public have worked for as part of Taiwan’s desire to become a constructive member of the international community, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York Director-General Hsu Li-wen (徐儷文) said.
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
COUNTERING THE PLA: While the US should reinforce its relations with partners and allies, Taiwan must invest in strengthening its defenses as well, Phillip Davidson said If influence in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the US’ core interests, then Taiwan serves as a cornerstone of US economic and security influence in the region, former US Indo-Pacific Command commander admiral Phillip Davidson said on Thursday. “China’s ... strategy is to supplant the US leadership role in the international order ... and they’ve long said ... that they intend to do that by 2050,” Davidson told the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington. Davidson said he had previously told US Senate hearings on China’s military activities and possible threats in the Indo-Pacific region that a Chinese invasion of
RSS