Taiwan has submitted a formal application to become a member of the UN, a Presidential Office official said yesterday.
Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidential Office Chen Chi-mai (
The application was signed by President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen Chi-mai did not respond directly to a question about why the UN application had been filed before rather than after the referendum, which has been set to coincide with either legislative or presidential elections next year.
"Conducting referendums is the right of the people," he said.
He warned China not to sabotage the move, saying that Taiwan is a sovereign country.
Beijing has shot down Taiwan's repeated efforts to join the UN over the past 14 years under the name "Republic of China."
"The government will do all it can to defend our sovereignty, dignity and safety in the face of China's boycott and suppression," Chen Chi-mai said.
"Since 1993 our allies have proposed to solve the membership issue [in the UN's General Assembly] ... but our modest and rational approach has been rejected. Therefore we are presenting a [different] membership case this year," he said.
Taiwan left the UN in 1971 when its seat -- which it held under the name "Republic of China" -- was transferred to the Beijing-based government of the People's Republic of China.
China jumped on Taiwan's latest bid yesterday.
"The plot of the Taiwan authorities to `join the UN under the name of Taiwan' is a separatist action by Taiwan independence forces aimed at splitting Taiwan from China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang (秦剛) said. "We are resolutely opposed to this and are closely watching developments of the situation. This separatist plot of the Taiwan authorities is doomed to failure."
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