Taiwan seeks U.N. participation, not membership

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.”

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