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This year's UN bid has new twist

Taiwan launched its eighth bid to join the UN yesterday, obliterating any references to "one China" while calling on the international body to serve as a forum to peacefully settle differences across the Strait.

In the resolution sponsored by 12 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, the new government scrapped any mention of "eventual unification" with the mainland and instead called for a "peaceful resolution" of differences with the PRC.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂) said that this year's UN resolution clearly reflects President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) foreign and cross-strait policies as set out in his inauguration speech which called for the UN to "facilitate reconciliation and the peace process between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait."

The resolution said the UN could serve as a "forum to foster mutual understanding and goodwill between the ROC and the PRC." Last year's wording was more tepid, suggesting that Taiwan's participation in the UN could bring the region under the "peace and security mechanism" contained in the international body.

The resolution also avoided mention of a unified China and highlighted a peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences.

The previous resolutions emphasized that while Taiwan seeks to participate in UN activities, it continues to "espouse hope for the eventual unification of China." But this year's resolution skirted the "one China" issue and said that Taiwan "has committed itself to peaceful resolution of differences with the PRC, and has repeatedly offered friendly and conciliatory gestures toward the leadership of the PRC."

Compared with the 1999 UN resolution, the new government toned down direct references to Taiwan and China as two separate states and scrapped last year's contrast between the "Republic of China on Taiwan" and the "People's Republic of China on the Chinese Mainland."

"There is no need to say that the ROC is on Taiwan because that is a fact ... where else can you find the ROC?" Tien said, after hosting a joint conference with Taiwan's four allies from the Caribbean.

Taiwan just concluded its fourth annual meeting with the four Caribbean states including the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Tien signed a joint communique pledging US$240,000 in direct aid to each state.

Foreign ministers from all four states also promised support for Taiwan in participation in international organizations.

Granada and Saint Vincent are among the 12 allies including Senegal, Gambia, the Marshall Islands, Nicaragua, Swaziland, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Burkina Faso, Malawi and Honduras that sponsored Taiwan's resolution this year.

Yesterday, China issued its expected protest, saying it was "strongly indignant" at Taiwan's renewed bid to join the UN and accused the country's supporters of attempting to create "two Chinas" in the international organization.

"The move constitutes a flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, a distortion of the nature of the UN and a gross interference in China's internal affairs," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao (朱邦造).

"We are strongly indignant at and firmly oppose such a move," Zhu said in a statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency.

The ROC was a chartered member of the UN but was forced to cede its membership to Beijing in 1971 when the world organization decided to recognize the PRC as the sole legitimate government representing China.
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