In a significant diplomatic shift, the United States has openly condemned China’s long-standing interpretation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, marking the first time Washington has publicly challenged Beijing’s position on Taiwan at the UN level.
During a high-level session at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, asserted that the resolution passed in 1971 to recognize the People’s Republic of China as the legitimate representative of China at the UN has been wrongly construed by Beijing to exclude Taiwan from international discourse.
“Resolution 2758 settled the issue of China’s representation, but it did not address Taiwan’s status, nor did it authorize the exclusion of Taiwan’s people from the UN system,” Thomas-Greenfield stated. “Misrepresenting the resolution distorts the UN Charter and undermines the principles of inclusivity and meaningful participation.”
Analysts are calling the statement a watershed moment, signaling growing international support for Taiwan’s participation in global affairs. While Washington maintains a One China policy, it now appears more willing to draw a line between recognition of Beijing and the democratic rights of Taiwan’s 23 million citizens.
China responded swiftly, accusing the United States of “political manipulation” and “undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China.” A spokesperson for the Chinese mission to the UN said the resolution’s meaning is “clear and not open to reinterpretation.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the U.S. statement, describing it as “a long-overdue correction of historical inaccuracy” and called on other nations to support Taiwan’s inclusion in global forums.
The move comes amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and increasing calls from Western democracies for a reevaluation of Taiwan’s international role. Several European lawmakers echoed Washington’s position, suggesting the time has come for a more nuanced global stance on the island’s status.
Experts say the U.S. condemnation of China’s narrative marks a potential turning point in how the world engages with the Taiwan issue one that could reshape geopolitical alignments in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
source: en.rti.org.tw