The Presidential Office yesterday said the priority for the administration’s UN bid was to participate in the international organization and that the name it would use to apply to join was secondary.
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had finalized the strategy the administration would adopt this year before he embarked on an eight-day state visit to Latin America and the Caribbean yesterday afternoon.
Wang, however, refused to reveal what name the country would use in the bid, saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) would make the announcement on Friday.
Wang said that Ma’s position on the matter had been clear and consistent, adding that any approach must be “practical” and “flexible.”
Media reports said that authorities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would adopt a “gentle” approach that is “low key,” “practical” and “rational.”
Speculation abounds that the administration is unlikely to use “Taiwan,” the name the former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration used to apply for full membership last year. Nor was it likely to use “Republic of China,” the name proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in a referendum held in tandem with the presidential election in March. The referendum failed along with one initiated by the DPP, which proposed joining the UN under the name “Taiwan.”
Wang yesterday declined to speculate whether prospects were better this year because the president and vice president of this year’s UN General Assembly are from the country’s diplomatic allies. This year also saw the highest number of the country’s diplomatic allies sitting on the General Committee since the country began its bid to re-enter the UN.
The DPP caucus yesterday criticized the government’s strategy of “not emphasizing the nation’s name” when applying to join the UN.
DPP legislative caucus whip Chang Hua-kuan (張花冠) told a press conference that the KMT government is prepared to dismiss the name of Taiwan for the country’s bid to join the UN and various international organizations.
Citing Ma’s previous remarks saying that he would not mind if China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) addresses him as “Mr Ma” if he visits Taiwan later this year, Chang said that “Ma’s dismissal of Taiwan and the presidential title would be the first step leading to the country’s death.”
DPP Legislator Wong Chin-chu (翁金珠) said the government’s strategy would weaken Taiwan’s sovereignty and confuse national identity.
DPP lawmakers asked the government to apply for UN membership using the name “Taiwan.”
At a separate setting, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said “the KMT’s cross-strait policies and its approach to Taiwan’s bid to join various international organizations obviously reflect old KMT government thinking of the last century.”
Since the global stage has changed, the KMT’s old approach does not meet Taiwanese interests and expectations, she said.
Meanwhile, MOFA yesterday also remained tight-lipped on the government’s UN bid this year, except to say details would be given on Friday.
“All the details will be revealed on Friday by Deputy Minister Andrew Hsia (夏立言),” MOFA Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said, but disclosed that the language would not include the verbs “join” or “return.”
“This year’s approach will be based on pragmatism and flexibility,” he said.
Additional reporting by Rich Chang and Jenny W. Hsu
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS