Paraguay, Eswatini, Palau advocate for Taiwan's inclusion in UN

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) Three of Taiwan's diplomatic allies -- Paraguay, Eswatini, and Palau -- made a push Wednesday for Taiwan's inclusion in the United Nations, when their leaders addressed the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña said in his speech that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, was already troubling.

However, there could be an even more serious crisis in Taiwan in the near future, he said during the General Debate at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

"What happens there is not merely a regional matter," Peña said, adding that a potential cross-strait war could have a global impact because of the chips Taiwan produces.

"If oil was the fuel of the 20th century, chips are the fuel of the 21st," he said. "What is at stake in this potential conflict is significant: the very future of humanity."

On the issue of Taiwan's exclusion from the U.N., Peña said Paraguay is not neutral.

"Paraguay stands -- and I say this loud and clear -- with Taiwan," he said, adding that the 70 years of diplomatic relations between his country and Taiwan represent a true friendship based on shared democratic values rather than political convenience.

Taiwan's exclusion is "a stain on the United Nations," Peña said, reaffirming Paraguay's support for the full and meaningful participation of Taiwan in the U.N. and its specialized agencies.

In a similar vein, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said in his speech at the U.N. General Assembly that his country chooses its partners "based on shared values of democracy, human rights, and a rules-based international order."

Those principles "underpin our friendship with Taiwan, a trusted partner that can contribute even more fully if given space to do so," he said.

Noting that the U.N. Charter begins with the commitment, "We the peoples," Whipps said the U.N. "marginalizes Taiwan's 23 million people, disregarding that foundational purpose."

"We stand with like-minded partners in calling for the reversal of misinterpretations of rules and procedures that have constrained Taiwan's meaningful participation in this body," he said.

Meanwhile, King Mswati III of the African kingdom of Eswatini also expressed support for Taiwan, which he said plays a vital role in global supply chains.

"It [Taiwan] has much to contribute to the international community and can play a highly meaningful role in building a sustainable future for humanity," he said.

"The United Nations should seek appropriate ways to facilitate Taiwan's substantive participation in U.N. meetings and activities, enabling it to share its expertise and actively engage with international partners," the king said.

The 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly opened on Sept. 8, with the high-level General Debate running from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28.

Since 1971 when the Republic of China (Taiwan) was expelled from the U.N., the country has been campaigning during the annual U.N. General Assembly for its inclusion in the U.N. system and related specialized agencies.