US discusses ways to expand Taiwan's participation in international forums

WASHINGTON DC: The US and Taiwan are exploring ways to expand Taiwan's participation in the UN and other international forums, as well as addressing a range of global challenges, including public health, aviation safety and climate change, Voice of America (VOA) reported. VOA is a US state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster

The US-Taiwan routine consultation took place on Wednesday, days after the Chinese delegation at COP28 opposed calls to include Taiwan in the UN climate talks in Dubai.

All participants in the latest US-Taiwan talks "recognised the importance of working closely with likeminded partners who share concerns regarding attempts to exclude Taiwan from the international community," according to the US State Department in a statement.

Meanwhile, senior American officials have said Washington's "One China" policy is "distinct" from Beijing's "One China" principle. The US policy is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances. China has objected to the Taiwan Relations Act and deemed it invalid, according to VOA.

The Taiwan Relations Act has stated that "nothing in this Act may be construed as a basis for supporting the exclusion or expulsion of Taiwan from continued membership in any international financial institution or any other international organisation."

As per VOA, the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan but claims sovereignty over the island, which became home to the Chinese Nationalist government after its defeat in 1949.

During the UN climate talks held in the United Arab Emirates, Chinese officials lodged a protest after calls to include Taiwan's participation in the climate summit by other countries.

A member of the Chinese delegation said via a translator in the plenary hall in Dubai: "China has noted that during the meeting a handful of countries ignore the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and make noises about the participation by the Taiwan authorities in the COP."

Officials from the State Department and Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday discussed near-term opportunities to support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) and other global public health bodies, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), as well as Taiwan's meaningful participation in other multilateral organisations.

The Beijing government has been blocking Taiwan's representation at WHA meetings after the self-ruled democracy elected Tsai Ing-wen, a China sceptic, as president in 2016. China has also blocked Taiwan's participation in ICAO assemblies since 2013.