COMMENTARY / Japan

To secure peace in the Indo-Pacific, include Taiwan in the U.N. system

Taipei's top diplomat says Beijing’s expansionism will not stop at Taiwan

Taiwanese honor guards take part in the changing of the guard ceremony outside the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei in July. As new approaches to engaging with Taiwan have emerged in the global community, the notion that the U.N. must choose between China and the island is a false dichotomy. | REUTERS

By Lin Chia-lung
The Diplomat

Sep 20, 2024

Taiwan is an indispensable partner in global supply chains, producing more than 90% of the world’s high-end semiconductors and a significant portion of the advanced chips that are driving the artificial intelligence revolution. Moreover, half of the world’s seaborne trade passes through the Taiwan Strait, making it a key international waterway.

Yet even though large parts of the world — and billions of people — have enjoyed great prosperity thanks to the peace and stability that prevails across the strait, China continues to intensify its aggressive actions against Taiwan. Beijing’s attempts to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and expand authoritarianism throughout the Indo-Pacific region are a profound threat to peace and security all around the world.

In recent years, global leaders have used both bilateral and multilateral occasions — including the Group of Seven, the European Union, NATO, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings — to highlight the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. However, despite being aware of the importance of reducing tensions in the region, the United Nations has yet to take action to address the challenges posed by China or to incorporate Taiwan in the U.N. system.