He was speaking to the press on the high-speed train while heading to Kaohsiung to take part in a rally organized by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in support of the proposed vote on using the name “Taiwan” to join the U.N.

He dismissed as “groundless” U.S. concerns that the referendum is intended to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and could increase tension in the regions.

He also denied that the referendum will be an “anti-America” vote, as he described the United States as Taiwan’s best friend and most loyal ally.

Washington has repeatedly voiced its opposition to the DPP holding the referendum, calling it a provocative move involving the changing of the island’s official name.

It has also described it as a step towards changing Taiwan’s status quo.

Changing Taiwan’s status quo or official title would come as a violation to what Chen has promised the U.S. — which has come to be called his “four noes” pledges.

Chen maintained that both Taipei and Washington have been communicating on the referendum issue, and his administration fully understands the message that the U.S. is trying to pass on.

But he said the United States still has a lot of “misunderstandings” about the referendum.

Chen said there is no reason for the United States to oppose the referendum, as such a vote is part and parcel of democracy.

Joining the United Nations is in line with the majority opinion of the Taiwanese people, and there is no better name than “Taiwan” for the country’s membership, he said.

While the bid has obtained the support of more than 8 million people in the country, it does not mean that Taiwan will become a U.N. member even if the referendum is passed, Chen stressed.

While Taiwan’s application might be vetoed, the country will keep renewing its attempts until it succeeds, he said.

Using the name “Taiwan” to apply for U.N. membership will be the only way to allow the bid to draw international attention, the president said.

He noted that coverage by international media about Taiwan’s U.N. bid over the past two months is four times as much as that for last year’s bid.

Chen claimed that the Kuomintang’s campaign for the ROC to return to the United Nations has not received any international attention “because everyone knows it is meaningless and self-deceiving.”

Chen claimed that the KMT campaign means that the country will compete with the People’s Republic of China for the U.N. representation of China, which he said will once again trap Taiwan in the frame of “one China.”

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