This year marks the 60th anniversary of the UN. The anniversary comes at a time when the world body is looking closely at its role and working to implement reforms and renew the organization.
The role of each of the UN's divisions is to maintain peace and resolve regional conflicts. They are also responsible for carrying out a wide range of tasks and missions, involving different aspects of human life.
All Taiwanese have longed to gain entry into the UN and enhance the nation's international status. To achieve this, Taiwan should do more than rely on the efforts of civilian and non-governmental organizations to gain admission to the body, as this will only prove to be limited, unproductive and discouraging. The government and the civil groups should work together to conduct an in-depth study and map out a concrete set of strategies to address the issue.
The nation's drive to gain entry into the UN is like a marathon for all Taiwanese. If the eventual outcome is to be positive, we have to figure out a consistent and feasible approach to taking part in this time-consuming and energy-draining race.
Over the past 13 years we have failed to make a breakthrough against China's oppression on the diplomatic front, even though we have continued to ask our diplomatic allies to assist us with our UN bid, and to underline the importance of cross-strait peace.
As such, we need to rethink our diplomatic strategy and should take the initiative and apply for UN membership in the name of a peace-loving nation. Although the application will probably be rejected or vetoed by China at the UN Security Council, it would have significance in the international community. I believe that only by doing this can we highlight that Taiwan and China are two totally different countries.
The nation's drive to participate in the UN should not become an annual routine. Instead, there should be a concerted effort to push the endeavor forward.
For example, when the world celebrates United Nations Day on Oct. 24 every year, the nation could choose to hold an international symposium to discuss UN-related issues and invite international experts and academics. By doing this we could promote and encourage domestic UN-related research through international academic exchanges while at the same time establishing an interactive platform for Taiwan to provide advice on the UN's reform and development, and help the nation communicate with the rest of the world. After the symposium, we could then organize the content of all the discussions, and transform them into useful materials to educate people from all walks of life about the importance of the issue, and eventually help Taiwan become a normal country.
I believe that as long as the people, the government and non-governmental organizations can work together to pursue this issue of national importance, the dream of all Taiwanese will one day come true.
Chen Lung-chu is chairman of the New Century Foundation and the director of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.
Translated by Lin Ya-ti
There is much evidence that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is sending soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and is learning lessons for a future war against Taiwan. Until now, the CCP has claimed that they have not sent PLA personnel to support Russian aggression. On 18 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy announced that the CCP is supplying war supplies such as gunpowder, artillery, and weapons subcomponents to Russia. When Zelinskiy announced on 9 April that the Ukrainian Army had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with Russians on the front line with details
On a quiet lane in Taipei’s central Daan District (大安), an otherwise unremarkable high-rise is marked by a police guard and a tawdry A4 printout from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating an “embassy area.” Keen observers would see the emblem of the Holy See, one of Taiwan’s 12 so-called “diplomatic allies.” Unlike Taipei’s other embassies and quasi-consulates, no national flag flies there, nor is there a plaque indicating what country’s embassy this is. Visitors hoping to sign a condolence book for the late Pope Francis would instead have to visit the Italian Trade Office, adjacent to Taipei 101. The death of
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), joined by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), held a protest on Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei. They were essentially standing for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is anxious about the mass recall campaign against KMT legislators. President William Lai (賴清德) said that if the opposition parties truly wanted to fight dictatorship, they should do so in Tiananmen Square — and at the very least, refrain from groveling to Chinese officials during their visits to China, alluding to meetings between KMT members and Chinese authorities. Now that China has been defined as a foreign hostile force,
RSS