Taiwan must seek UN membership “under any name”
Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Taiwan’s referendum review committee yesterday rejected a proposal by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (Pdp) to put to popular referendum whether the country should seek United Nations membership under the name Taiwan. Committee president Kao Yung-kuang, explained that the proposal had 12 votes against and that only 7 members of the Pdp sustained the initiative, resulting in their resignation following the vote. According to the opposition, the only thing that counts is admission to the UN, and not the name under which membership is given.
Yu Shyi-kun, leader of Pdp, reacted angrily, defining the opposition as “enemies of the state” who “aim to unite themselves with Beijing” and described the decision as “anti-democratic and contrary to the wishes of public opinion”. The Pdp announced an immediate appeal to the Government’s arbitration Committee.
The Island had a UN seat until 1971, when China’s seat was given to Beijing. Since then, mainland China has opposed Taiwan’s admission, under any name, maintaining that it is part of their territory and not a sovereign state. The Pdp and President Chen Shui-bian want to obtain formal recognition of Taipei autonomy from Beijing and this is an added reason as to why they have called for a popular vote on the issue, in order to show the will of over 23 million people. Chen aims to hold the vote together with the Presidential elections of March 2008.
The United States, the Island’s chief ally, has long warned that this vote would only increase tensions with Beijing.
Wu Den-yih, secretary of the Chinese Nationalists Party (Kuomintang), maintains that the only thing of any import is that the island rejoins the UN “under any name which seems appropriate”. Ma Ying-jeou, Kmt candidate for the 2008 presidential elections agrees, observing that there should be a more “pragmatic and flexible” approach in seeking to join the UN even under a different name such as “Chinese Taipei”.
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