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Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (centre) accepts a Hudson Global Leadership Award from John Walters, director and CEO of the Hudson Institute (left), and institute chairwoman Sarah May Stern in New York on Thursday. Photo: CNA

Back Taiwan’s bid to join global groups, Tsai Ing-wen urges democratic countries

  • Taiwanese leader makes appeal after accepting a leadership award in New York
  • Tsai is stopping over in the US city on her way to visit Central American allies
Taiwan
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has used her transit stay in the United States to seek support for the island’s bid to join international organisations, saying the democratic world should not allow the continued exclusion of Taipei from those bodies.

Tsai also said all democratic countries should unite to counter authoritarianism and the island would continue to work with the US and like-minded countries to secure its future.

Tsai made the comments after accepting a global leadership award from the Hudson Institute at an event hosted by the Washington think tank in New York on Thursday night.

“Taiwan’s relations with democratic countries in recent years have continued to prosper but Taiwan is still excluded from the United Nations and related international organisations,” she said.

The United Nations ousted Taipei to admit Beijing in 1971, and Taiwan has been excluded ever since because of repeated objections from mainland China, which insists the island is part of its territory with no right to join international organisations.

“Such an unfair situation should not be allowed to continue. Taiwan needs support from other democratic countries to assist it in joining international organisations,” Tsai was quoted as saying by Xavier Chang, deputy secretary-general of her office.

03:45

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen arrives in New York on sensitive US stopover

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen arrives in New York on sensitive US stopover

Tsai, who is on a two-night stopover in New York en route to visit Taipei’s Central American allies of Guatemala and Belize, said Taiwan had remained calm and cautious in dealing with constant military threats from Beijing and had been a responsible stakeholder in maintaining stability in the region.

She called on like-minded countries to work with Taiwan in strengthening its security and economic supply chains as well as maintaining regional peace, given that instability in the Taiwan Strait would only bring risks to the global economy and security.

Chang said more than 100 guests attended the closed-door event but did not say who went.

In a statement after the event, the institute said it was honoured to present the award to Tsai, who had expanded and deepened the US-Taiwan security and economic relationship while in office.

Taiwan to boost military ties with US to curb ‘authoritarian expansionism’

Tsai’s US transit – which will include a two-night stopover in Los Angeles on her way back from Belize on April 4 – has been opposed strongly by Beijing, which says she has long used the pretext of transiting through America to promote the island’s independence cause.

Just before Tsai started her trip on Wednesday, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office and foreign ministry condemned the US for allowing the stopovers – especially Tsai’s planned meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles – to be used to promote the island’s status.

Beijing said the meeting with McCarthy – the US’ third most senior official – was a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of Washington’s “one-China” policy.

Beijing reacted furiously to a visit by McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, to Taipei in August and retaliated by staging days of unprecedented live-fire drills around Taiwan and firing ballistic missiles over the island.

On Friday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said nine People’s Liberation Army warplanes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on combat-readiness patrols.

The ministry condemned the PLA for what it described as “irrational actions” that created tension across the strait.

02:29

Taiwan confirms President Tsai Ing-wen will make US stopovers in coming weeks

Taiwan confirms President Tsai Ing-wen will make US stopovers in coming weeks

Taiwanese Premier Chen Chien-jen also said the island had the right to engage the world and have exchanges with all freedom-loving people. “We hope China will not use any excuse to start provocation,” he said in Taipei on Friday.

In the US, Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said he expected a “smooth and successful” transit by Tsai.

He said the US and the mainland had “frequent communications” regarding Tsai’s visit and a range of other issues.

Noting that Tsai’s private and unofficial transit was consistent with long-standing US practice, he said there was no reason for Beijing to overreact.

But he also said he expected Tsai would have an opportunity to engage with various members of the US Congress, as she had done during her previous visits.

Tsai is scheduled to leave for Guatemala on Saturday.

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