Taiwan renews bid for U.N. membership

Asian Political News, August 15, 2005

TAIPEI, Aug. 12 Kyodo

Taiwan renewed its bid for membership in the United Nations on Friday and sought the world body's support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

''Eleven of the diplomatic allies have earlier submitted a joint proposal to the U.N. to request the organization's General Assembly to discuss the bid on the agenda of its 60th session slated for Sept. 13,'' Foreign Minister Mark Chen told a press conference.

''Based on the fundamental principle of universality, (for) the U.N. to exclude Taiwan, known as a constructive member in the international community and a vibrant democracy, is to discriminate against its 23 million people and to deprive them of their basic rights to contribute to the U.N.,'' he said.

Apart from that, Chen said 13 countries have also proposed for the first time to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan that the United Nations should play an active role to encourage Taiwan and China to conduct peaceful dialogue and exchanges.

The proposal suggests the United Nations send either an envoy or a truth investigation team to the region to assess the security situation in the Taiwan Strait, where China has deployed more than 700 missiles targeting Taiwan.

China and Taiwan split after the 1949 civil war.

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that should be reunited and that should not conduct independent diplomacy.

Only a handful of countries have official ties with the Republic of China, the official name still used by Taipei.

Beijing formally replaced Chiang Kai-shek's representative and took over the China's seat at the United Nations in 1971.

Starting in 1993, Taiwan has been seeking permanent representation at the United Nations in the hope of taking part in more international activities.

Foreseeing China's opposition, Chen urged Beijing acknowledge the reality of the status quo and abandon the new enacted Anti-Session law mandating its military to act should the island declare formal independence.

''Beijing has to understand that the move to discourage our efforts will neither be appreciated by Taiwan's people nor be helpful for the improvement of the cross-strait relations,'' Chen said.