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Letter: UN should support `Taiwan'

In the 20th century, while the process of democratization progressed around the world, the People's Republic of China moved in completely the opposite direction. China claims that Taiwan (including the Pescadores) are part of its territory and threatens to use force if Taiwan declares independence. The most ironic thing is that the UN supports China's assertions!

Since World War II, self-determination has received popular support around the world, and with the UN acting as a mediator, more than 100 new nations have been established. The former USSR and communist-ruled Eastern Bloc nations recognized the trend toward democracy and broke up into many independent nations. The one-party dictatorship system was also abandoned.

The colony nations in Africa and Asia, one after another, severed links with their colonial rulers and became sovereign nations.

These developments have two common points. First, many of the newly established nations had long been ruled by people of a different race. Second, the communist system fell apart. We applaud this result, because we have finally realized the intrinsic value of each individual.

What does this have to do with China's claims upon Taiwan? Let's look at history. China's Qing Dynasty ceded Taiwan to Japan after it lost the war with Japan in 1895.

Then, in 1911, Sun Yat-sen's (孫中山) revolutionary forces revolted against the Qing emperor -- who Sun considered to be a barbarian invader -- and founded a new nation called the Republic of China (ROC). In 1949, after defeating Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) government, Mao Zedong (毛澤東) immediately christened the nation the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Besides the changed name, the PRC also gained a new Constitution, a new national flag and new national anthem.

In light of this history, it is clear that Taiwan is not related to either the ROC or the PRC.

Should Taiwan be denied in its bid for self-determination -- which is really a formality, because Taiwan in almost all aspects is an independent country -- the nation could only be returned to the Qing Dynasty or its legal successor, but could not "revert" back to being part of the PRC, as the PRC did not exist when this nation was founded.

Furthermore, when so many former colonies have thrown off their colonial rulers, why should Taiwan instead accept a merger with the PRC when this nation has never been ruled by that government? Where is the international sense of justice and morality in this case?

Frankly speaking, any attempt to force a merger between Taiwan and China will be in vain, as the Taiwanese will never accept one-party dictatorship under the communist system that lags far behind the values and norms held by most nations around the world.

Taiwanese sources have indicated that they will submit a membership application in the name of Taiwan to the UN this month.

I sincerely request that all UN Security Council members earnestly observe the spirit of the UN Charter and do the moral thing by immediately stopping China's hegemony and granting membership to Taiwan.

Joseph Wang
Morris Plains, New Jersey
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