Taiwan’s absence from international organisations has been likened to the search for the Loch Ness Monster. The Taipei Representative Office in Brussels says the search for “Nessie” in the Scottish loch is like looking for Taiwan’s involvement in organisations like the UN.
The Taiwan Representation has collaborated with the Belgian cartoonist, Lectrr, to create a cartoon comparing finding the Loch Ness Monster to what it says is “the impossible task” of looking for Taiwan in “UN Resolution No. 2758.”
“The idea is to make people understand more clearly our position,” said a spokesman. The resolution is seen as being crucial as it does not mention Taiwan which China continues to claim as a breakaway province. Beijing has not ruled out the use of force against Taiwan.
The Taiwan spokesman said, “China should not deliberately misinterpret this UN resolution to deny Taiwan’s participation in United Nations-related organisations and activities. “We believe this cartoon is of great value in promoting a deeper understanding of the multifaceted issues surrounding Taiwan’s international recognition and its implications.”
The hope is, says the spokesman, to “make people understand more clearly that United Nations Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan.”
The UN resolution, he added, only deals with the representation of China in the United Nations, and does not mention Taiwan “even once.”
“Not only does it not authorise the People’s Republic of China to represent Taiwan in the United Nations system, but it also does not recognise Taiwan as a part of the People’s Republic of China.”
“The Resolution has nothing to do with Taiwan at all, nor does it ever discuss issues such as Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and independent state and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China.
“Only the democratically elected government of Taiwan can represent the 23.5 million people of Taiwan in the international arena,” he said.
“Participation in international organisations, such as the WHO, is the legitimate right of all the people of Taiwan, and is going to bring positive contributions to the world.”
