UNITED NATIONS: The U.N. General Assembly handed the United States a stunning defeat last night [Oct 26] by voting to seat People’s Republic of China and expel Taiwan. The vote on the 22-nation Albanian Resolution was 76-35 with 17 abstentions. It put an end to a historic 22-year-old battle over China’s representation, climaxed during the past weeks by an all-out U.S. effort to prevent an ouster of the Taiwan Government.

Before the roll call on this Albanian resolution was taken, the grim-faced Taiwanese delegation which saw the writing on the wall, walked out of the General Assembly hall…. The landslide in China’s favour began after the Assembly rejected the United States move to declare the expulsion of Taiwan as an “important question” requiring a two-third majority.

U.N. delegates — screaming, singing, shouting, desk-pounding and some dancing in the aisles — defeated American efforts…. The Assembly rejected by 59 to 54 with 15 abstentions the American resolution. China’s friends in the hall applauded for two minutes when the rejection of the “important question” move was flashed on the automatic calling board. They applauded again when it was announced from the chair. … The Syrians, Pakistanis, Cubans, Albanians stood up laughing and throwing their hands in the air. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2021