New York, Oct. 4 (CNA) Ten of Taiwan's diplomatic allies on Tuesday sent a joint letter to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in support of Taiwan's call to be included in the international organization.
In the letter, the allies called on the U.N. to take immediate action to address the unjustified exclusion of Taiwan's 23.5 million people from the U.N. system.
It also urged the U.N. to immediately rectify its discriminatory policy against Taiwanese passport holders, and ensure that Taiwan can participate in meetings, mechanisms, and activities related to the implementation of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The joint letter was signed by Belize, Eswatini, Haiti, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Saint Christopher and Nevis, and Tuvalu.
The letter was sent by Inga Rhonda King, permanent representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the U.N., Carlos Fuller, Belize's permanent representative to the U.N., and Thamie Dlamini, Eswatini's permanent representative to the U.N.
After handing over the joint letter, King told CNA that Taiwan has made significant contributions to the world's peace and stability and should not be excluded from the U.N. system.
Fuller, meanwhile, said the voices of the 23 million people of Taiwan could not be heard by the U.N. directly, which is why Taiwan's diplomatic allies have to relay their voices to the international organization.
Dlamini, who previously spent eight years in Taiwan as the African kingdom's ambassador to the country, said Taiwan's diplomatic allies and other like-minded countries all stand in solidarity with Taiwan, hoping it can play a more active role in the international community.
Similar letters have been sent and appeals made in years past, to no avail, as Taiwan is not a member of the world body and continues to be treated within the U.N. system as a part of China.
Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China (ROC), left the U.N. in 1971, when the People's Republic of China (PRC) took its place, and has since been excluded from U.N. agencies.
Meanwhile, four diplomatic allies of Taiwan also sent separate letters to Guterres for the same purpose, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
They are Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay and Haiti.
The Vatican was the only one of the 14 states that recognize Taipei instead of Beijing that did not speak up for Taiwan during the just concluded 77th session of the U.N. General Assembly or send a letter supporting Taiwan's call to be included in the U.N. system.
Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe, the Holy See is an observer rather than a member of the U.N. and rarely speaks on political issues during U.N.-related meetings.
