Key to UN membership
Why Taiwan is the sole political orphan in the world? How can Taiwan apply for membership in the UN?
According to Article 4 of the UN Charter: “Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
Article 110-3 states that: “The present Charter shall come into force upon the deposit of ratifications by the Republic of China [ROC], France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, and by a majority of the other signatory states.”
Taiwan United Nations Alliance president Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) on Friday last week wrote an open letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the representatives of all the member states.
Taiwan’s 23 million people have been unjustly excluded since 1971, as UN Resolution 2758 settled only China’s representation, and did not deal with Taiwan’s participation in the UN; the People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan; and Taiwan wishes to be a constructive and responsible member of the international community, he said.
“It is time the UN welcomes and opens its door to the 23 million people of Taiwan,” he said.
The 73rd session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday in New York City. For its UN bid this year, Taiwan demands that: 1) Taiwanese be accorded equal treatment and that the UN resolve the issue of 23 million Taiwanese being excluded from the global body; 2) Taiwanese individuals and journalists be granted unfettered access to UN premises; and 3) Taiwan be allowed to participate in meetings and events related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The Diplomat on Friday last week published an opinion piece by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).
“The UN continues to ignore what Taiwan can offer. We are extremely disappointed that the UN continues to misuse 1971’s General Assembly Resolution 2758 to justify Taiwan’s exclusion and isolation,” Wu wrote.
Taiwanese certainly raised their voices loud enough in front of the UN building, but did UN members hear them? I doubt it, for those voices were not properly delivered and there is none who can officially represent Taiwanese.
The ROC was a founding member of the UN and still an active member of the global body, but officially represented by the PRC since Oct. 25. So, it is naive for the ROC government to attempt to apply for UN membership for Taiwan.
If Taiwanese are serious about joining the UN, they should form a government that can officially represent Taiwan, not China.
For a group of people can only be represented by a government and an international organization such as the UN must first thoroughly examine the identity of Taiwan to clarify that it is a peace-loving state that is not commingled with China.
Taiwan is not China and China is not Taiwan. Taiwan.
The key to the UN is in our hands. The 23 million Taiwanese are absolutely entitled to be part of the international community. Taiwan should be a member of UN and it is time the UN welcomes and opens its door to us once we have a legal and official government on our behalf.
John Hsieh
Hayward, California
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