Taiwan's top representative to the Philippines called on Manila to support Taipei's meaningful participation in the United Nations, arguing that doing so aligns with Philippine national interests and does not violate its diplomatic commitments.

Ambassador Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines, asserted that Taiwan's inclusion in UN discussions, spanning public health, aviation safety, climate change, and disaster response, is vital for regional stability and economic growth.

Chow addressed Beijing's reliance on UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which is frequently cited to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. He noted that the 1971 resolution determined representation for the People's Republic of China (PRC) at the UN, but did not address Taiwan’s political status or grant Beijing authority to represent Taiwanese citizens.

He also highlighted the crucial distinction between Beijing’s "One China Principle" and the Philippines’ "One China Policy," which stems from the 1975 Joint Communiqué. While Manila recognizes the PRC as the sole legal government of China, the agreement states that the Philippines merely "understands and respects" Beijing's stance on Taiwan without explicitly accepting China's territorial claim over the island. Chow emphasized that as a sovereign nation, the Philippines retains the right to define its foreign policy without coercion.

Pointing to shared strategic and economic risks in the Indo-Pacific, the ambassador noted that any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would disrupt regional trade, maritime shipping, and semiconductor supply chains, directly impacting the Philippines and Filipino overseas workers.

To enhance economic resilience, Chow highlighted Taiwan’s efforts to reduce economic reliance on mainland China—lowering outward investment to China from 83.8% in 2010 to 2.7% in early 2025—and pointed to potential partnerships with the Philippines in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and semiconductor manufacturing.