Taiwan’s request to India for Interpol is a god sent opportunity

China has constantly struck the weakest links of India. Supporting Pakistan’s terrorism to claiming Indian territories as their own, China has never accepted India’s sovereignty. But, now the geopolitical overhaul in the South China Sea has provided India with an opportunity to give China a test of their own medicine.

After the voting of 1971 in the United Nations General Assembly on the political status of Taiwan, the democratic state was officially replaced by the Communist People’s Republic of China. Thereafter, Taiwan has struggled to be recognized as a legitimate political country in the world. Not being recognized by the UN has affected Taiwan’s aspiration to become part of many regional or international organizations.

Taiwan’s request to India

Taiwan’s Commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Bureau in an interview with India Today has requested India’s support for its entry into Interpol. Speaking about the issue he said, “Taiwan is not a member state of Interpol. We can’t send our delegation to the General Assembly. India is the host country that has the power to invite us. We expect India and others to invite Taiwan as an observer”.

Till 1984, Taiwan was a member of the Interpol but Communist China’s entry into the UN and other organizations ousted the democratic state. Further, using its economic might, communist China influenced Interpol’s decision and barred Taiwan from becoming an observer state.

International Criminal Police Organisation

Headquartered in Lyon, France, Interpol is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control. Interpol provides investigative support, expertise, and training to the world’s countries and their law enforcement agencies. The major area of cooperation includes transnational crime, terrorism, cybercrime, organized crime, crimes against humanity, intellectual property infringement, and other white-collar crimes.

Concerning Interpol’s importance in curbing crime, Taiwan also wants to join the organization. But, due to China’s constant pressure on the organization, Taiwan’s request to become its member or even join the annual meetings has been denied.

Also Read: After giving China and Pakistan a boot, India takes OIC to the cleaners

90th Interpol General Assembly in India

It is pertinent to note that the 90th Interpol General Assembly will be held in October in India. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is making arrangements for the event in coordination with other government agencies. Representatives from the 195 member countries are expected to join the General Assembly to be held at the India Trade Promotion Organisation’s Pragati Maidan.

The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body, comprising representatives from each member country. It meets once a year and each session lasts around four days.

The General Assembly takes decisions in the form of resolutions. Each member country represented has one vote. The decision-making process is made by either a simple or two-thirds majority, depending on the subject matter.

According to Article 4 of the Constitution of the Interpol, to become a member of the organisation, a two-thirds majority approval shall be required. Although it is difficult those two-thirds of the members would go against China but India in its special powers as a host country can invite Taiwan as an observer to the General Assembly.

As China constantly tries to play its nefarious friendship goals with Pakistan on various regional and international organisations, now, it is time for India to give them the test of their own medicine. India should invite Taiwan to the 90th General Assembly of Interpol as an observer state. Until and unless China does not accept India’s position on Kashmir, the nation should play an offensive diplomatic policy against the dragon. India should accept Taiwan’s request and increase its cooperation with the island country.