The "one China" policy espoused by former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) is responsible for Taiwan's international isolation today and prevents the country from joining groups such as the UN, a national policy advisor to President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen Lung-chu (陳隆志), a former researcher at Yale University Law School, blamed Taiwan's problems today on Chiang's strict adherence to the policy and his claim that the KMT represented all of China.
Chen, in making a presentation entitled "Taiwan and the UN" at the Presidential Office yesterday, said a new path should be taken so that the nation can join international groups like the UN.
PHOTO: CNA
"A new approach would be more viable and practical than measures taken over the past nine years by Taiwan in its bid to join the UN," Chen said.
He was addressing the monthly Sun Yat-sen meeting (國父紀念月會) at the Presidential Office, which major officials from the five branches of the government must attend.
Chen said that now that Taiwan is a member of the WTO, which he called an "economic and trade UN," the most important goal for the country today is representation for Taiwan's 22 million people in the UN.
He blamed Chiang and the KMT -- which espoused the "one China" policy and claimed to represent all of China -- for Taiwan's expulsion from the group.
"Ironically, former president Chiang Kai-shek created all the problems standing in the way of Taiwan's entry into the UN today, because he clung to the `one China policy,'" Chen said. "But Chiang's communist opponent won the right to represent China and Taiwan gradually disappeared from the world stage."
And the general's refusal to give up the country he lost to the communists has hurt Taiwan until this day, Chen said.
Beijing has used Chiang's words against Taiwan to isolate it internationally.
"Because of his stubbornness and refusal of suggestions [from Taiwan's allies to accept] `two Chinas' or `one China, one Taiwan,' he failed to consider the long-term interests of all Taiwanese and finally allowed the PRC to replace the ROC in the international community," Chen said.
The scholar said Taiwan should apply to join the UN under Article Four of the group's charter governing memberships. He added that the country's population, which is larger than 75 percent of all UN members, should have its voice heard.
"The key element is that we should apply for full membership under the name `Taiwan' instead of just as an `observer,' in order to avoid being downgraded by China," he said.
"If we cannot insist that Taiwan is an independent sovereign country, who else can speak for us?"
In closing, Chen said UN Resolution 2758 clearly states that the PRC replaces the ROC as the government representing China.
But the resolution deals only with the question of China's representation and not the issue of Taiwan's sovereignty, he said.
"The resolution didn't mention relations between the PRC and Taiwan. Nor did it recognize the PRC's claim that `Taiwan is a part of China,' nor did it authorize the PRC to represent Taiwan and its people in the UN," Chen said.
Taiwan as a full UN member would be financially supportive of the organization's budget plans and other activities while offering the world its experience in economic development, he said.
Most importantly, Chen said, UN membership would significantly increase the country's security.
In addition to advanced arms and weapons systems, security requires acceptance of the international community, he said.
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