Yang made the remarks at the legislative Diplomacy and Overseas Compatriot Affairs Committee, in which opposition Kuomintang (KMT) legislators grilled him over whether the government is still planning to apply to join the U.N. as a full member under the name of “Taiwan” after suffering a setback in its attempt to apply for accession into the World Health Organization (WHO) as a full member under the name of “Taiwan” earlier this month.

KMT Legislator John Chiang asked Yang whether the administration will still go ahead with the country’s U.N. bid this September using the title “Taiwan membership” as used earlier this month in Taiwan’s WHO bid.

Discounting the appropriateness of the term “Taiwan membership, “ KMT Legislator Lee Chi-chu pointed out that “Taiwan” is not the formal name of the country, which she claimed is why not all of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies voted “yes” for the cause of Taiwan during the World Health Assembly meeting May 14.

Responding to Lee’s criticism, ruling Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim said that the term or title Taiwan uses in its bid to join the WHO or the U.N. is not the issue. The problem, she said, lies in the fact that the country’s sovereign status is not recognized in the international community.

Hsiao said she supports the administration’s use of “Taiwan” in its WHO and U.N. bids because “Taiwan” is a name already fully recognized and accepted by people around the world.

Echoing Hsiao’s opinions, Yang said failure to recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty is the main cause behind the country’s failure to facilitate its WHO and U.N. bids.

Describing the WHO and U.N. bids under the name of “Taiwan” as “ramming one’s head against a wall, “ Chiang said he will initiate a motion at the Legislative Yuan to bring charges against President Chen Shui bian for violating the Constitution in this regard.

Meanwhile, Yang said during the committee meeting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will investigate why only 17 of Taiwan’s 24 diplomatic allies cast votes in favor of Taiwan in the WHA vote May 14.

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