Amid rising Chinese threats, Taiwan launches campaign for UN bid

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York has launched an international campaign promoting Taiwan's bid to participate in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the UN as a key partner in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, a media report said on Wednesday.

The initiative was unveiled ahead of the 76th UN General Assembly commenced on September 14. The initiative showcases Taiwan's contributions to stimulating global economic recovery and sustainable development to help equip the world for a prosperous post-COVID-19 era, Taiwan Today reported citing the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

The Give Taiwan A Voice website is the latest government initiative urging global support for Taiwan's bid to take part in the UN system.

According to Taiwan's MOFA, one of the highlights of the campaign is that the website calls on people around the world to show their support by lighting a virtual sky lantern and leaving a message expressing why Taiwan should be given a voice at the UN.

The TECO in New York is also organising the "Road to a More Resilient Future: Sustainable Support for Syrian Refugees conference" on September 16 to reaffirm the government's commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to people displaced by war in the Middle East.

TECO's bid to participate in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the UN as a key partner came at a time when Chinese jets flew into Taiwan's air defence identification zone rigorously.

On Saturday, a Chinese military aircraft flew into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

One People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane entered the southwest corner of Taiwan's ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defence missile systems to track the PLAAF plane.

China has sent a mix of spotter planes, fighter jets, and bombers into the zone every day this month except for September 2.

Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its grey-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan's ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war.

( With inputs from ANI )