ST.

JOSEPH'S COLLEGE MODEL

UNITED NATIONS
Certa Bonum Certamen

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL

ASSEMBLY- DISARMAMENT
AND INTERNATIONAL
SECURITY COMMITTEE

AGENDA: "Deliberation upon the

China-Taiwan dispute with special
emphasis on armed threats on the
Taiwan Strait."

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TABLE OF CONTENTS :

•Letter from the

•Executive Board
•Abbreviations
•Introduction to the General Assembly
•History of the Conflict
•Timeline of the situation
•Current Situation
•Past Resolutions
•Pre-Committee Documents
•Questions to be answered and further
Reading suggestion

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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE
BOARD:

Dear Delegates,It is our immense pleasure to welcome you all to

the United Nations General Assembly (DISEC) being simulated
at the St.Joseph's College Model United Nations'2023
We recommend all delegates go through the background guide to
get an idea about the agenda, the committee, the timeline as well
as a basic idea about the powers dynamic and your portfolio's
relevance.

Do not consider this guide as a sole research medium. Kindly note

that the background guide is just for providing a brief
understanding of the agenda and only entails some of the key
topics which the Executive Board feels are important. Delegates
are encouraged to not limit their research to the background guide
and are expected to explore further aspects of the agenda.
In the end, our biggest hope as the executive board of this
committee is that all of you will come out of this experience a
little less scared and a little more confident - as that is what
Model United Nations has done for us. At last, our expectation as
the executive board of this committee is that this session of the
Assembly concludes with enhancing your public speaking skills
while also helping you evolve as a 'MUNer'. So, step into this
committee with your best foot forward, with the goal of
conducting yourself diplomatically, lobbying with other delegates
to come to a common consensus, devising comprehensive
resolutions, and making the most of this opportunity.

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 LETTER FROM THE
EXECUTIVE BOARD:

The Executive Board looks forward to all forms of documents and

policies from the delegates (under the ambit of the Assembly), we are
open to all forms of creativity used until its nature stays in a practical
format. We look forward to portfolio collaborations in the committee
and good lobbying from all while remembering the nuances of the
current paradigm of international relations.

We wish you all the best of luck and look forward to having 2 days of
enriching experience with all of you. Kindly contact us on the following
mail for any assistance if you have any doubts.

Kritin Bhasin
Chairperson.
kritinbhasin@gmail.com

Arnav Negi
Vice-Chairperson

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ABBREVIATIONS

• PRC- People’s Republic of China. (China)

• ROC- Republic of China (Taiwan)
• UNO- United Nations Organisation
• US- United States of America
• ADIZ- Air Defence Identification Zone
• KMT- Kai-shek's Kuomintang
• ICJ- International Court of Justice
• UNSC- United Nations Security Council
• ASZ- Air safety zone
• GSZ- Ground safety zone
• EAF- Entity Armed Forces
• JSF- Joint Security Forces
•DDR- Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
• EU: European Union

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INTRODUCTION TO THE UNGA.

Introduction

The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six

main organs of the United Nations (UN) and is composed
of representatives from all 193 member states. It is the
main deliberative body of the UN, and its role is to
discuss and coordinate international issues and to make
recommendations on matters within its scope.

In addition to the regular session, the General Assembly

can also convene special sessions to address specific
issues or crises, and it can establish subsidiary bodies,
such as committees and commissions, to carry out its
work.

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FUNCTIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL
ASSEMBLY:

The General Assembly has a number of important functions,

including:
• Approving the UN budget,
• Electing the non-permanent members of the Security Council
and other UN bodies
• Making recommendations on international issues.
• It also has the power to consider and adopt non-binding
resolutions on a wide range of issues, such as:
o Disarmament
o Human rights
o Sustainable development.
• Achieving its goals through DDR

The UNGA is also infamous for its work of allocation of agenda

to the UN Security Council that the Council has eventually
passed binding resolutions on. (As Mentioned in Article 11(3):
“Call[ing] the attention of the Security Council to situations
which are Likely to endanger international peace and security.”)

Reading upon the key functions and powers of the Assembly is

essential for all delegates as it informs one with the powers they
hold together for all operations they can take over, this can
mostly be achieved by reading the UN charter sub chapter about
the United Nations General Assembly. In the context of this
specific Conflict a delegate should we looking for functions in
regards to conflict management, maintaining international peace,
methods the UNGA has powers to resort to.

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HISTORY OF THE CONFLICT

The Taiwan Strait Crisis has its origin tracing back to the Chinese
Civil War which started in 1927 and ended in 1949. It was the
aftermath or the outcome of the war which led to the foundation of
the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China and their
dispute over each other's legitimacy.

The Chinese Civil War

The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Chinese Communist
Party and the Chinese Government of the Republic of China which
was ruling during that particular area. The war stretched till 1937
when it halted temporarily because of the Japanese attack on China.
The war resumed in 1945 when the Japanese were defeated in the
Second World War and in this particular phase of the war, the
Chinese Communist Party had the upper hand and they eventually
defeated the Republic of China, gaining control of mainland China
and establishing the People's Republic of China.
The island of Taiwan which was a colony of Japan during the Second
World War was given back to China and it was this island, in which
the Government of the Republic of China fled to.
These incidents eventually led to Strategic standoffs between the two
governments both of them claiming to be the legitimate China with
the People's Republic of China based in the mainland and the
Republic of China based on the island of Taiwan.

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HISTORY OF THE CONFLICT

Political and military stand-offs

following the Civil War

Following the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War, the dispute

between the two countries just grew larger as there remained a
permanent struggle between the two Governments. These power
struggles eventually led to tensions in the area as well as
military standoffs known as the Taiwan Strait Crisis.
There were three of these crisis with all of them ending with a
brief period of de-escalation and reduction of tensions Along
with these crisis, there are often periods of escalation of
tensions happening over political reasons and for the
recognition of each other's legitimacy

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HISTORY OF THE CONFLICT

Claims of Both the Governments

The "One China" policy has been a key source of tension between the
two sides, with China asserting that Taiwan is a part of China and
insisting that other countries respect its sovereignty over Taiwan.
Taiwan, on the other hand, sees itself as a separate, democratic country
and has sought to gain international recognition as such.
The People's Republic of China as well as Republic of China holds
claim over each other's territory, while the PRC holds claims on
Taiwan along with the mainland part which it already controls
(excluding other disputed areas like the islands of South China Sea and
Aksai-Chin), the ROC has its claims on the whole of mainland China
and parts of other countries like Mongolia and India. Both of these
governments have denied each other's claims and the main subject of
their dispute lies in these claims.

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Timeline of the situation

October 1949: After winning a civil war against Chiang Kai-

shek's Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists, Mao Zedong's
communists take control of Beijing. In December, the KMT
abandons mainland China and flees to Taiwan, where they
establish their own government in Taipei.

1950: The United States, which is at war in Korea with

communist China, gains Taiwan as an ally. To defend its
partner from any invasion, the US has stationed a fleet in the
Taiwan Strait.

October 1971: Beijing takes over China's seat at the United

Nations, previously held by Taipei.

1971: UNGA resolution 2758 is passed

1991: Taiwan lifts emergency rule, unilaterally ending a state of

war with China. The first direct talks between the two sides
were held in Singapore two years later.

1992: The Consensus agreement is signed agreeing on a the

existence of only one China.

1996: To dissuade voters in the island's first democratic

presidential election, China conducts missile tests off Taiwan.

2000: The KMT loses power in Taiwan for the first time

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Timeline of the situation

March 2005: Beijing adopts a law authorising the use of force if

Taiwan declares independence. In April, KMT chairman Lien
Chan makes a landmark visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese
leader Hu Jintao.

2010: Both the parties sign a sweeping ‘Economic Cooperation

Framework Agreement’ and in 2014 hold the first government-
to-government talks since separation.

January 2016: Elections for president are won by Tsai Ing-wen

of the traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive
Party. Yet in June, after the new administration refuses to
recognise the "One China" policy, Beijing suspends all contact
with Taiwan.

2021: Chinese military jets make hundreds of incursions into

Taiwan's defence zone.

October 2021: In remarks that were later partially retracted by

the White House, US Vice President Joe Biden asserts that the
US will defend Taiwan if China attacked it.

July 2022: Nany Pelosi Visits the region of Taiwan to improve

relations.

August 2022: 13 Fighter jets by the PRC discovered near the

capital, Taipei going against the ASZ.

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 CURRENT SITUATION

Introduction
Tensions in the Taiwan Strait are currently at an all-time high
with the mobilisation of the People's Republic of China's naval
vessels along the Strait. What follows this mobilisation is the
nuclear arsenal, cyber warfare capabilities and other types of
weapons which remain in the arsenal of the People's Republic
of China.

Having the economy of Taiwan still in the revival phase, it is

difficult for any proper mobilisation of forces without keeping
in mind and instilling proper economic policies. The Republic
of China is facing major challenges both militarily as well as
economically.

Coming to the political aspect, Taiwan may have the political

support of numerous nations but is the support worth it, is the
support limited merely to economic sanctions which do
basically nothing to its opposition? Will its closest allies help in
such a dire situation, will the United States actually intervene
or will it just sit behind as it did in the past using the excuse of
their Presidential elections? Reality and operations in the real
world always take a dark and unexpected turn for an observer.
The goal of all nations is overall growth and upliftment, if no
gain is at stake why would a nation spend so many resources to
accomplish a task?

The threats have been given and mobilisation has already

begun, the resolution of this dispute stays in the hands of this
assembly and other orangs of the UNO.

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 CURRENT SITUATION

Recent Events
One of the most significant events was the passing of China's Anti-
Secession Law in 2005, which gave China the legal basis to use force
if Taiwan were to declare independence. This law was seen as a direct
threat to Taiwan's sovereignty and it caused widespread alarm on the
island.
China has also stepped up its military presence around Taiwan,
conducting regular military exercises and sending aircraft and ships
to patrol near Taiwanese waters. In June 2021, China sent a record
28 military planes into Taiwan's ADIZ, prompting a sharp response
from Taiwan's military.

Taiwan has responded by increasing its defence spending and seeking

closer ties with the United States and other countries. In August
2021, the United States announced it would sell Taiwan $750 million
worth of weapons, including 40 self-propelled howitzers, which drew
sharp criticism from China.

The political dimension of the relationship between China and

Taiwan has also been a source of tension. China has been pressuring
other countries to isolate Taiwan diplomatically, and in recent years,
several countries have switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan
to China.
In response, Taiwan has been seeking to expand its international
recognition. In June 2021, Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu
visited four Caribbean countries to strengthen ties and seek support,
drawing sharp criticism from China.

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 CURRENT SITUATION

Moreover, the executive board looks forward to all forms of lobbying,

during the committee. These small measures can make a big
difference in committees especially when it is based on a wartime
situation.
The Executive Board members look forward to more verbatim and
oral questions compared to chits. This however does not mean that we
do not look forward to chits, we will be open to chits at all points in
time until stated otherwise.

We look for constant constructive based statements in the committee,

be it for solving or discussing its nuances.
Following are some points which must be considered while taking an
action in the committee:

• The Economic Situation of the world

• The importance of the South China sea situation on the global and
south-east Asian markets.
• Geopolitics of the area and of all the countries which have interests
in the area.
• The Condition and situation of the Military operations that have a
possibility.
• The Diplomatic ties.
• The internal issues of allies and other parties involved.

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 RESOLUTIONS

By reading upon the history of the conflict we can see it has been an
issue which has been slithering for a long time in the international
community. Due to this there have been many attempts by many
international bodies and bilateral meetings to achieve global and
international peace, some resolutions and agreements signed regarding
the ROC and PRC conflict is as follows:

• UN General Assembly Resolution 1668 (1961): This resolution

expressed concern over the situation in the Taiwan Strait and called for
peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter.

• UN General Assembly resolution 2758 (1971): By a vote of 76-35-17

(agreement- opposition- abstention) the PRC becomes internationally
recognized as the only rightful government of China and is the only
acceptable UN representative of China.

• UN General Assembly Resolution 2908(1972): This resolution called

for the peaceful settlement of disputes between China and Taiwan and
urged all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
each other.

• UN General Assembly Resolution 5050 (1991): This resolution called

for the peaceful resolution of disputes between China and Taiwan and
encouraged both sides to engage in constructive dialogue.

• UN General Assembly Resolution 46/224 (1992): This resolution

recognized the importance of the "1992 Consensus" between China and
Taiwan, which acknowledged that there is only one China but allowed
both sides to interpret what that meant.

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 RESOLUTIONS

• UN General Assembly Resolution 48/191 (1993): This resolution

reaffirmed the UN's support for the "One China" policy and called on
all countries to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
China.

• UN General Assembly Resolution 49/30 (1994): This resolution called

on all countries to maintain official relations with the People's Republic
of China and not to have official relations with Taiwan.

• Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty 1954, effective from 3/03/1955

until 31/12/1979: China cannot use force against Taiwan, thus take over
it.

• 1992 Consensus During the meeting between the PRC and ROC in
1992, they both agreed that there is one government of the Chinese; that
is the PRC according to the PRC and the ROC according to the ROC.
As it can be understood, during the ’92 Consensus, both agreed that
there is one Chinese government, only that there was a
‘misunderstanding’ to which the government is.

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POSITION PAPER

A Position paper is a pre-committee document, submission for which

will not be compulsory in this conference, it is entirely voluntary in
nature, but the Executive Board members will still highly suggest all
delegates to try and make a position paper as it can be a great
learning opportunity.

Post this section will be attached a sample position paper with

marking showcasing all sections mentioned. All information in
italics is not a part of the draft but are notes for all delegates.

A good and well-rounded position paper should describe a delegate’s

portfolio and its stance on the agendum at hand. It should give a
brief on the committee or the agenda and how the delegate will be
using that information during the course of the committee.
Following are the topics to be covered in a good position paper:

• Introduction (Explaining the agenda and/or committee)

• Relevance of portfolio in the agenda.
• Severity of the issue.
• Effects of the problem
• Causes leading to the issue.
• Effects on the international community
• Possible Solutions

A Position Paper should ideally be between 1.5-3 pages and cover a

basic brief and understanding of the agenda and committee. We
would be accepting the position paper on our E-Mail address,
available in the “Letter from the Executive Board” Section. The last
date of submission for the position paper is the 6th of April, 2023
11:59pm.

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 Sample Position Paper

Committee: United Nations Environment Programme

Agenda: Analyzing the Effectiveness of International Agreements on
Climate Change.
Portfolio: Delegate of the United Kingdom

(Introduction, describing the agenda with the mix of severity of the issue
and causes)
Over the past two decades, evidence has mounted that the global climate
is changing, and
that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are largely to blame.
While changes in average conditions can have serious consequences by
themselves, the main impacts of global climate change will be felt due to
changes in climate variability and weather extremes.

Anthropogenic climate change, or ‘global warming’, is caused by

increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. These gases trap the heat
in our atmosphere by preventing radiation from escaping into space. The
main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2 ), is emitted when fossil
fuels, like coal and oil, are burned. Since the industrial revolution, fossil
fuel use has increased very quickly. Due to these emissions, as well as
changes in agriculture and land use, atmospheric greenhouse gas
concentrations have risen sharply. For instance, the concentration of
CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by around one-third, from 280
parts per million (ppm) in 1750 to 368 ppm in 2000. This is the highest
level in at least the past 420,000 years and likely the past 20 million
years.

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 Sample Position Paper

(Explaining the relevance of the portfolio)

The effects of climate change can be seen in the UK and around
the world. UK temperatures have already risen. Globally, extreme
weather is predicted to become more common and to have a
negative impact on humans, animals and plants.
(Effects of the problem)
Climate change will affect many aspects of our lives in the UK,
our environment, business and public services. Scientists have
identified some of the likely effects of this climate change:
Temperatures
• It is likely that average temperatures in the UK will rise.
• Hotter summer temperatures will become more frequent and
very cold winters will become increasingly rare.
Rainfall
• The amounts and frequency of rain will change.
• Winters will be wetter and summers will become hotter and more
prolonged.
• There will be increased local flooding with more flash flooding
occurring.
• This will result in increased pressure on water resources in the
UK.
Severe weather
• Severe weather events are likely to increase, such as flooding,
droughts, heat waves, severe gales and snowfall.
Rising sea levels
• Sea levels could rise by 40cm by the end of the century leading to
further coastal erosion and
Agriculture
• Farming and crops will be affected by changes in weather
throughout the UK which could impact on the types of crop
grown, where they are grown and their availability.

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 Sample Position Paper

Such severe effects of the climate crisis in the UK and everywhere in the
world makes one thing very clear - we need to drastically reduce our
carbon footprint and cut down emissions by 80%. This is why the UK
government's advisory Committee on Climate Change recommended the
"net zero" target in May and declared a Climate Emergency-- being the
first to do so. But this is not the first time the UK has taken such a stern
step towards Climate Change. There have been legislations like The
Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006, an Act of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom which aims to boost the number of
heat and electricity micro-generation installations in the United
Kingdom, so helping to cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel poverty.

(Effects on International Community)

There has also been Climate Change Act 2008 which makes it the duty
of the Secretary of State to ensure that the net UK carbon account for
all six Kyoto greenhouse gases for the year 2050 is at least 80% lower
than the 1990 baseline.

All of this is alongside the UK being a member of the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which led the
development and adoption of The Paris Agreement in 2015 by UK.

But none of these things are enough to pull us out of the Climate Crisis
we are in. Thus, some of the suggestions that can be adopted for a more
sustainable approach are as follows:

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 Sample Position Paper

(Possible Solutions and added causes)

We need to step up our use of clean energy like wind, wave, tidal and solar
energy. Fortunately, there is practical, achievable action we can take now
to minimise the amount of greenhouse gases reaching the upper
atmosphere.
What we need is a low carbon economy with minimal use of fossil fuels.
And our research shows that we already have the potential to produce
everything we need to get us there – we’re just lacking the political action
and investment to support a clean energy future. Thus, the governments of
the world need to pledge themselves towards the same.
The first and most important thing we can do here in Britain is to reduce
the amount of fossil fuels we use. This doesn’t mean sitting in the dark half
the winter under a massive duvet, rather first of all we need to use the
energy we get from coal, oil and gas as efficiently as we can. That means
increasing the efficiency of the things in our life that use energy like
appliances, cars, buildings and factories.
Another huge step we can take is to make our energy production more
efficient. Our current systems are so wasteful that properly applied energy
efficiency measures could cut our overall power demand by over 50 per
cent.
Next we need to step up our use of clean energy like wind, wave, tidal and
solar energy. Equally important is a new smart national power grid capable
of integrating all these different sources.
We also need to redesign our transport system by improving and increasing
the use of public transport, stopping airport expansion and massively
increasing the efficiency of our petrol driven vehicles, and then replacing
them, first with hybrids, and ultimately electric vehicles.
Lastly but very importantly, there must be unconditional support towards
the #FridaysForFuture Campaign and there must be an honest attempt to
meet the demands of the protestors.
Climate change is a big challenge for the planet, and requires action at a
large scale by all levels of government and business. The UK pledges to
take the required action but real change can only happen if the global
community decides to, once again, come together for the cause.

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Further Reading and Questions to
Answer

Reading recommendations:
• Military Standoffs between the two countries
• Expulsion of ROC and Admission of PRC in the UN
• Relevance of the South China Sea
• Recognition and Claims of the two countries
• Reasons and Causes of the Tensions in the area
• Involvement of Foreign Stakeholders
• The ‘One China’ Policy
• https://www.armscontrol.org/
• https://www.sipri.org/

Questions:
• What are the roots of the tension between China and
Taiwan?
• What is the role of USA in the Pacific?
• How worrying are China’s military drills?
• What is China’s problem with Pelosi’s visit?
• Why are US-China Loggerheads over Taiwan?
• What Taiwan is doing to defend itself against possible
Chinese invasion?
• Will China be able to overrun Taiwan?
• Why is the International community being affected?

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