Taiwan President Lai Ching-te addressed the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday, stating that China’s communist regime poses a threat not only to Taiwan but to the entire international community. Lai emphasized that China’s intentions go beyond changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; they aim to alter the rules-based international order and achieve global hegemony. The president made these remarks in a videotaped address shown at the Concordia Summit, which took place alongside the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City.
Taiwan withdrew from the UN in 1971 after Resolution 2758 was passed, transferring Taiwan’s seat to China. Since then, Taiwan has been excluded from formal participation in UN meetings due to Beijing’s opposition. Lai criticized China for distorting Resolution 2758 and falsely claiming sovereignty over Taiwan while denying its right to participate in international organizations.
Lai expressed gratitude towards countries like the United States and members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) for opposing Beijing’s interpretations of Resolution 2758. IPAC launched an initiative pledging support for resolutions rejecting Beijing’s reading of this resolution, with Australia and Netherlands already following through.
The Taiwanese president also highlighted China’s escalating aggression in various regions, including military intimidation tactics and gray-zone strategies such as economic coercion and cognitive warfare. He called on like-minded democratic nations to unite under a “democratic umbrella” against authoritarian aggression.
In response to Lai’s video address at Concordia Summit, Alexander Tah-ray Yui (Taiwan’s top representative to US) and Keith Krach (former US Under Secretary of State) both stated that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping sees Taiwan’s democracy as a significant threat. They emphasized that Taiwan serves as a beacon for freedom globally.
Yui pointed out that CCP views freedom and democracy as threats because they undermine its legitimacy. He also mentioned CIA Director William Burns’ statement last year about Xi instructing his military to be ready for invading Taiwan by 2027.
Yui further highlighted how important it is for democratically-minded countries to lead technological advancements since trust in technology is crucial. He emphasized Taiwan’s indispensable role due to its leadership in semiconductor production—accounting for about 60% of global semiconductors production—and urged incorporating it into discussions about future technology developments worldwide.
Regarding concerns about potential changes after US presidential elections, Yui reassured reporters that bipartisan support exists within Congress for supporting Taiwan regardless of election outcomes due to ongoing threats posed by China.
