President Chen Shui-bian (
"The Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] is being deceptive by proposing we join the United Nations under the name `ROC,'" Chen said at an event organized by the Taiwan Teacher Amity Association in Hsinchu. "The public has been fooled for decades -- don't be fooled again."
While the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) proposed a referendum on joining the UN under the name "Taiwan," the KMT suggested another referendum on "rejoining" the UN under the name "ROC" and using whatever name was appropriate for joining other international organizations.
Chen said Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) had made a mistake by withdrawing from the UN in the 1970s. The dictator rejected a US proposal to have both the ROC and the People's Republic of China represented in the UN after Beijing was given the "China" seat in the UN at the expense of Taiwan.
Chen said Taiwan was still suffering as a direct consequence of Chiang's decision.
At a separate setting yesterday, DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
Hsieh said the DPP and KMT should work together to solve the problem.
Chen, meanwhile, called on the the public to participate in a march organized by the DPP on Sept. 15 in Kaohsiung to support Taiwan's UN bid. He also encouraged the public to endorse the DPP's referendum on joining the UN under the name "Taiwan." The party must collect at last 800,000 signatures by the end of next month for the referendum to take place.
Chen said the KMT's referendum proposal had created confusion.
Taiwan is already an independent sovereignty, Chen said, adding that he was confident that most Taiwanese agreed with him. He said a referendum was a good way for the public to express its will.
Additional reporting by CNA
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