Taiwan files for UN seat

[Jeslek]

SOURCE: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/11/1028158048330.html


Taiwan has filed a fresh demand for a seat at the United Nations, an official said yesterday, in a move likely to further antagonise severely frayed relations with Beijing.

Taipei made the new proposal through its allies, demanding representation under the name of "Republic of China (Taiwan)", a foreign ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The proposal underscores equal sovereignty with China," the official said.

The move comes a week after President Chen Shui-bian provoked a venomous attack from Beijing by calling for a referendum on the island's future.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification, and has threatened military intervention if the island formally declares independence.

In its bid to secure a UN seat, Taiwan insisted its 23 million people were unrepresented in the global body and called for a resumption of dialogues and peaceful settlement of the lingering disputes with China.

Observers said the new bid will rattle the nerves of Beijing as the row over Chen's referendum call rumbles on.

They said it remained to be seen if a key reaction from Washington would be forthcoming.

US officials previously backed Beijing's "one China policy" in 1999 when they were caught off guard by a controversial statehood claim by then Taiwan president, Lee Teng-hui.

Beijing has blocked nine previous attempts by Taiwan to join the UN since 1993.

Ties between Taipei and Beijing plummeted to a new low this week after Chen made his referendum demands in a video conference speech to Taiwanese independence activists meeting in Tokyo.

Chen asserted Taiwan's statehood and independent sovereignty, saying, "each side (of the Taiwan Strait) is a country".

Later he tried to mollify Beijing saying the two sides have "equal sovereignty" and Taipei had no intention of altering the status quo of the Taiwan Strait.

The United Nations awarded a seat to Beijing and banned Taiwan's participation in a 1971 resolution.

Political observers do not expect the latest bid to be successful.

Beijing had condemned the island's campaign for UN membership since 1993 as a conspiracy to split the island from the "motherland".

 

[Janimal]

Taiwan should have its independence.

 

[Luis G]

I really don't know much about the situation there, but if they are not independent yet, they should be. And just as any other country, they should have the right to have a sear in the UN.

 

[Janimal]

Well, according to China, Taiwan is not a soverign nation by itself. China claims it as part of its nation. And other nations do not recognize Taiwan as a nation either. So, strictly speaking, I don't think the UN can give them a voting seat. That's why all the hullabaloo.

 

[Luis G]

does most taiwaneses consider themselves independent?
make laws by themselves? and all the stuff that a soveignr country does?

if that's the case, then they should have a seat, only because China claims Taiwan as their property, is only what they might think.

oh well, i need to read more about it.

 

[Ardsgaine]

does most taiwaneses consider themselves independent?
make laws by themselves? and all the stuff that a soveignr country does?

if that's the case, then they should have a seat, only because China claims Taiwan as their property, is only what they might think.

oh well, i need to read more about it.

Taiwan is politically independent from China. They have their own democratic government, their own laws, their own military, etc. China doesn't control one grain of soil on Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as part of the People's Republic, but to exercise the claim they would have to conquer the island first. In the past, the US supported Taiwan's right to independence. I think we started being wishy-washy about that after Nixon's visit to China back in the 70s. China has always opposed Taiwan's entrance into the UN because once they are recognized by the UN, China won't be able to push their claim for assimilation.

I don't think it will be any surprise that I support complete independence for Taiwan. If anything, they are the ones who have the right to overthrow the government of the mainland.

 

[Luis G]

After reading that, then i think they have the right, and nobody should care if another country is claiming the property of the land, if they don't have control over there, then it is LOST.

They should have a seat in the UN.

 

[kuulani]

Well, according to China, Taiwan is not a soverign nation by itself. China claims it as part of its nation. And other nations do not recognize Taiwan as a nation either. So, strictly speaking, I don't think the UN can give them a voting seat. That's why all the hullabaloo.

If they get a voting seat, I want a voting seat