The government will not pursue UN membership and will instead continue to push for the nation’s meaningful participation at UN-related agencies, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) said yesterday.
“With regard to the UN issue, the government will undoubtedly continue our meaningful participation [at UN-related organizations], but will not promote Taiwanese membership in the global body,” Lee said.
He made the remarks one day after Taiwan UN Alliance president Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) reportedly visited him to urge President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration to “toughen up and honor more than 80 percent of the public’s demand” that the government should strive to join the UN.
Michael Tsai reportedly told Lee that the government should refrain from constantly making compromises because of the “China factor,” as Beijing would only take more actions detrimental to Taipei.
Lin made a similar comment at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on June 8, amid reports that the government was interested in applying for UN membership.
The Republic of China (ROC), one of the founding members of the UN, exited the global body in 1971 when a UN resolution ruled that the People’s Republic of China was the only legitimate representative of China to it.
There have been periodic calls for the nation to join the UN under the name “Taiwan” or rejoin the body as the “ROC.”
Two referendums on seeking UN membership were held in March 2008, shortly after former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) left office, but both failed to meet the required 50 percent voter turnout.
A high-level official at the ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Taiwan’s bid to join the UN is a politically sensitive issue and requires careful consideration, as it could affect both cross-strait relations and ties with other nations.
“I believe President Tsai would approach the issue in a pragmatic and down-to-earth manner. Personally, I do not think that her final decision would negatively affect cross-strait ties, nor leave our important allies, particularly the US, in shock,” the official said.
However, since the issue is above the ministry’s pay grade, it is up to the highest level of government to make the final call, he said.
Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) said the president’s national security team has deliberated on the matter and laid out plans to improve Taiwan’s participation in international bodies, including UN-related agencies.
The renewed calls for application for UN membership has also sparked discussions among lawmakers across party lines.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said several changes have been made to Taiwan’s stance on the UN membership issue, including the name, status and manner of an application.
“Nevertheless, the administration will come up with a more well-thought-out stance before this year’s UN General Assembly begins next month,” Lo said, adding that Tsai Ing-wen’s purported plan to change from “participation” to “dedication” at UN-related organizations is expected to win acclaim from the international community.
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) said that as the ROC flag cannot represent the nation in the international arena, the government should change both the official title and national flag.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said that as the public had witnessed the dismal outcomes of Chen’s UN endeavors, Tsai Ing-wen should introduce supplementary measures rather than simply “heating leftover rice.”
New Power Party caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said that in light of an ongoing discussion in the international community that the appellation “Chinese Taipei” — under which the national team is competing at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and other sports events — can no longer represent Taiwan, the party would throw its support behind any bids for membership at the UN or the International Olympic Committee as “Taiwan.”
Additional reporting by Yang Chun-hui
People can preregister to receive their NT$10,000 (US$325) cash distributed from the central government on Nov. 5 after President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday signed the Special Budget for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience, the Executive Yuan told a news conference last night. The special budget, passed by the Legislative Yuan on Friday last week with a cash handout budget of NT$236 billion, was officially submitted to the Executive Yuan and the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon. People can register through the official Web site at https://10000.gov.tw to have the funds deposited into their bank accounts, withdraw the funds at automated teller
PEACE AND STABILITY: Maintaining the cross-strait ‘status quo’ has long been the government’s position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Taiwan is committed to maintaining the cross-strait “status quo” and seeks no escalation of tensions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday, rebutting a Time magazine opinion piece that described President William Lai (賴清德) as a “reckless leader.” The article, titled “The US Must Beware of Taiwan’s Reckless Leader,” was written by Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Defense Priorities think tank. Goldstein wrote that Taiwan is “the world’s most dangerous flashpoint” amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He said that the situation in the Taiwan Strait has become less stable
CONCESSION: A Shin Kong official said that the firm was ‘willing to contribute’ to the nation, as the move would enable Nvidia Crop to build its headquarters in Taiwan Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽) yesterday said it would relinquish land-use rights, or known as surface rights, for two plots in Taipei’s Beitou District (北投), paving the way for Nvidia Corp to expand its office footprint in Taiwan. The insurer said it made the decision “in the interest of the nation’s greater good” and would not seek compensation from taxpayers for potential future losses, calling the move a gesture to resolve a months-long impasse among the insurer, the Taipei City Government and the US chip giant. “The decision was made on the condition that the Taipei City Government reimburses the related
FRESH LOOK: A committee would gather expert and public input on the themes and visual motifs that would appear on the notes, the central bank governor said The central bank has launched a comprehensive redesign of New Taiwan dollar banknotes to enhance anti-counterfeiting measures, improve accessibility and align the bills with global sustainability standards, Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) told a meeting of the legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday. The overhaul would affect all five denominations — NT$100, NT$200, NT$500, NT$1,000 and NT$2,000 notes — but not coins, Yang said. It would be the first major update to the banknotes in 24 years, as the current series, introduced in 2001, has remained in circulation amid rapid advances in printing technology and security standards. “Updating the notes is essential to safeguard the integrity
RSS