China's Xi looks to allies at UN as global support grows for Taiwan

Ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping has called for reform at the United Nations amid signs that Washington is increasingly keen to stand up for democratic Taiwan, which lost its place in the U.N. on Oct. 25, 1971, to be replaced by the People's Republic of China. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on U.N. member states on Tuesday to support Taiwan's "robust" participation in the system, saying that its exclusion "undermines the important work of the U.N. and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions."

"The fact that Taiwan participated robustly in certain U.N. specialized agencies for the vast majority of the past 50 years is evidence of the value the international community places in Taiwan's contributions. Recently, however, Taiwan has not been permitted to contribute to U.N. efforts," Blinken said. "That is why we encourage all U.N. member states to join us in supporting Taiwan's robust, meaningful participation throughout the U.N. system and in the international community," he said.

Taiwan has also been denied a presence in the World Health Assembly despite its exemplary handling of the coronavirus pandemic and contribution to global efforts, Blinken said.

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