United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758
The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (also known as the Resolution on Admitting Peking) was passed in response to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1668 that required any change in China's representation in the UN be determined by a two-thirds vote referring to Article 18[1] of the UN Charter. The resolution, passed on 25 October 1971, recognized the People's Republic of China as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations" and removed "the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek" (referring to the Republic of China, whose central government had relocated to Taiwan from the mainland) from the United Nations.[2]
UN General Assembly
Resolution 2758
25 October 1971
1,976
A/RES/2758(XXVI) (Document)
Restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations
- 76 voted for
- 35 voted against
- 17 abstained
Adopted
聯合國大會第2758號決議
联合国大会第2758号决议
Liánhéguó Dàhuì 2758 hào juéyì
Liánhéguó Dàhuì 2758 hào juéyì
Lien2-ho2-kuo2 Ta4-hui4 2758 hao4 chueh2-yi4
Lianheguo Dahuei 2758 hao jyueyi
Lyanhegwo Dahwei 2758 hau Jyweyi
Controversy[edit]
According to some American think tank analysts, Resolution 2758 solved the issue of "China's representation" in the United Nations—but it left the issue of Taiwan's representation unresolved in a practical sense.[12] The ROC government continues to hold de facto control over Taiwan and other islands. While the PRC claims sovereignty over all of "China" and claims that Taiwan is part of China, it does not exercise actual authority over Taiwan, though it continues to claim that it holds such sovereignty. Former Republic of China president Ma Ying-jeou said during his term, "The Republic of China is a sovereign country, and mainland China is part of our territory according to the Constitution. Therefore, our relations with the mainland are not international relations. It is a special relationship".[13]
On the other hand, although policy has changed, and the ROC Government now focuses on representing the interests of the island of Taiwan formally via its constitution, the ROC still claims to be the state of China, and thus its juridical claim to the right to govern the whole of China still holds. Most importantly, although Taiwan has been governed by the ROC as a de facto separate country, some argue that de jure Taiwan was not transferred to China in the post-WWII San Francisco Peace Treaty, which left its disposition open. The pursuit of independence from "China" (the ROC) is a controversial issue in Taiwanese politics.
The ROC framed the issue as one involving "the expulsion of a member". The United Kingdom and the USSR took a different view, arguing that only one Chinese state was a member and so the question was merely one of which Chinese delegation's credentials to accept and that any other Chinese state would have to apply for membership in accordance with the Charter.[4]
Attempts were made to get a review of Resolution 2758 onto the agenda with a proposal in 1998 noting that "as to its return to the United Nations, the Government has made it clear that it no longer claims to represent all of China, but that it seeks representation only for its 21.8 million people".[14] During the 2008 presidential election, referendums were held in Taiwan asking whether it should join the UN under "Taiwan" or "Republic of China"/any other suitable name. The motions failed because less than the required fraction of the electorate voted.[15] The ROC administration under Ma Ying-jeou dropped attempts to become a UN member state and sought meaningful participation in auxiliary agencies of the UN such as the World Health Organization.[16][17][18]