U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kelly Craft has lunch this Wednesday, Sept. 16, with Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York Lee Kuang-chang. Craft called the meeting “historic” and another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to strengthen ties with Taiwan.
China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, made a solemn representation to the U.S. Mission on the matter, stating that China is firmly opposed to any form of official U.S.-Taiwan relations and stressing that this position is consistent and clear.
Clafert and Li Guangzhang had lunch Wednesday at an open-air restaurant in New York City’s East Village, the first meeting between a senior Taiwanese official and the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Craft told The Associated Press after the meal, “I did the right thing by the president, and I sense that he has sought to strengthen and deepen bilateral relations with Taiwan, and I hope to be able to continue that effort on behalf of this administration.”
Li Guangzhang became secretary to the director of Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in July, and later took over as director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. Craft told The Associated Press that she accepted Lee’s invitation and said it was a good way for her hosts to welcome him to New York.
Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun told The Associated Press on Thursday (Sept. 17) that the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., expressed China’s disagreement with the Trump administration over the U.S.-Taiwan action. He said that the U.S. actions violate the One China Principle, the provisions of the three U.S.-China joint communiqués and U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758.
China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, said Friday (Sept. 18) that the Taiwan issue concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and involves China’s core interests, and urged the U.S. side to recognize the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan issue and handle Taiwan-related issues with caution.
Craft told the Associated Press that the voices of the 24 million Taiwanese people “need to be heard” and that they are being marginalized by Beijing. It’s really a shame,” she said, “because they should be able to participate in the United Nations just like everybody else. Obviously, we are really pushing them to come back to the UN, or to play a role in the UN Health Assembly.” She emphasized that the United States could better help Taiwan increase its participation in the UN.
In an interview with the Associated Press afterwards, Lee also said that Krafft is an excellent diplomat. He said, “Taiwan and the U.S. share common values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and Taiwan and the U.S. can be great partners.”
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ou Jiang-an responded to Krafft’s dinner with Li Guangzhang on Thursday, saying, “Taiwan and the U.S. have recently interacted frequently and amicably, and we appreciate the U.S. side’s continued actions in support of Taiwan’s international engagement, and we are pleased to work hand in hand with the U.S. and countries with similar philosophies. “
In May of this year, Craft retweeted a tweet from the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations expressing support for Taiwan’s membership in the United Nations. The tweet read: “Blocking Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations is not only an affront to the proud people of Taiwan, but also to the principles of the United Nations.
Craft’s meeting with Li Guangzhang coincided with the visit to Taiwan of U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach, which largely demonstrates the Trump administration’s determination to ignore Beijing’s threats and actively help Taiwan integrate into the world body as an independent entity, as well as the bipartisan unity and support of the U.S. on the Taiwan issue.
For its part, China has recently stepped up its threats of force against Taiwan, most recently dispatching warplanes and warships into Taiwan’s airspace.
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