Six civic groups for young people launched a signature drive yesterday in support of a campaign initiated by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators to hold a referendum on participating in the UN and the WHO under the name "Taiwan."
The groups included the Taiwan Young Democratic Union, the Taiwan Young Intellectuals, the Ketagalan Academy alumni association and the Taiwan Youth Citizens' Association.
Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬), president of the Ketagalan Academy alumni, said young people should recognize that Taiwan would not be able to join the international community if the nation did not take the initiative to correct its title.
sole representative
Gao, one of the DPP legislators who initiated the referendum campaign, said "the Republic of China" is no longer recognized by the international community after the UN passed a resolution in 1971 recognizing the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of China.
"We need to take immediate action to correct the national title and draft a new constitution, as this is the only way for Taiwan to gain UN membership," he said.
Peter Chang (
Chang, who formerly served as the health department's representative in Geneva, where the WHO's headquarters are located, shared with the groups his experience in Taiwan's bid for admission to the WHO.
difficult road
"During the two years I was in Geneva, I saw many answers [to how Taiwan could participate in international organizations], but each one of them was difficult for the nation [to carry out,]" he said.
Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), a former health minister, stressed the need, however, for the nation to persist in its quest for global membership.
"I am worried because if we don't continue to push for participation in the WHO and the UN, we will soon be regarded as China's associate member in the world," Twu said.
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