Deputy Foreign Minister Andrew Hsia told reporters that the U.N. representatives of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Solomon Islands handed over a resolution co-sponsored by 17 of Taiwan's 23 allies, earlier that day (4:00 p.m. New York time Thursday), to add to the agenda of the 63rd U.N. General Assembly slated to begin Sept. 16.

Unlike in previous years, however, the resolution, titled "The Need to Examine the Fundamental Rights of the 23 million People of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Participate Meaningfully in the Activities of the U.N. Specialized Agencies," does not request the assembly to consider Taiwan's membership or direct participation in the U.N., pointed Hsia.

For the past 15 years, the successive governments have failed in the country's bids to become a U.N. member due to opposition from Chinese authorities, which hold a permanent seat at the U.N. Security Council.

In 2007, the previous Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration first used "Taiwan" instead of the Republic of China (ROC), the island's formal name, in a move to highlight the nation's de facto independence, but to no avail.

China, the U.S. and several countries in Asia and Europe harshly criticized the government for attempting to alter the status quo.

"This is a more moderate, rational and feasible approach" that balances the aspirations of Taiwanese for international participation and the current political situation across the Taiwan Strait, explained Hsia.

He further urged Beijing to show goodwill to the proposal as "an isolated Taiwan is a disservice to relations across the Taiwan Strait."

"We will be very wary of this year's U.N. bid, given the fact that both referendums regarding the issue failed to pass in the March presidential election," President Ma Ying-jeou told the official Central News Agency during his state visit in Paraguay on Aug. 14.

"No matter what the bid might be, it should be achievable and should uphold Taiwan's dignity," the president went on. "We will take this into consideration and then make a proposal that not only will achieve our goals, but also will not affect other diplomatic interests or the interests of cross-Taiwan Strait relations."The failed referendums, initiated by the DPP and the Kuomintang, asked voters whether they support "joining the U.N. under the name Taiwan" or "returning to the U.N. under the name Republic of China," respectively.

Yet, various lawmakers from the opposition DPP argued against the government's new decision to seek participation, rather than membership, in the U.N.

DPP lawmaker Pan Meng-an contended that the new bid has "broken the hearts of the Taiwan people," as he described Ma's proposed "diplomatic truce" with China as a sign of surrender.

Also, DPP Lawmaker Chang Hua-kan reminded the government to insist upon Taiwan's sovereignty regardless of the international situation.

"If we don't even insist on our name, then we can't be considered a country," he said.

DPP Lawmaker Chai Trong-rong added that the president has effectively allowed for foreigners to decide Taiwan's designation by not insisting on using the country's name.

"If the Taiwanese can't even be allowed to decide their country's name, how can they decide their own future?" he asked rhetorically.

Following the adoption of U.N. Resolution 2758 on October 25, 1971, the ROC's permanent seat at the U.N. Security Council was given to the People's Republic of China (PRC), which has denied the country access to all related U.N. agencies such as health, labor, intellectual property rights, meteorology and aviation, ever since.

The new U.N. campaign will be a crucial test for President Ma Ying jeou's advocacy of "pragmatic diplomacy," or "modus vivendi" approach, and seeking a "diplomatic truce" with China, on both the domestic and cross-strait fronts. Hsia said that under those concepts, the two sides should pursue cooperative co-existence rather than confrontation.