Taiwan's 12th bid to enter the UN failed after the UN General Assembly decided on Wednesday not to include a proposal considering Taiwan's representation in the body in its agenda.
\nThe proposal, entitled "The Question of the Representation of the 23 million people of Taiwan in the United Nations," submitted by 15 of Taiwan's allies, was discussed in the first General Committee meeting of the 59th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
\nOne hundred and fifteen countries spoke on the issue, with 21 of them speaking in Taiwan's favor. China mobilized 93 countries to speak against the proposal. Discussion on the issue lasted four hours.
\nAfter more than 90 speeches -- the vast majority against putting Taiwan on the assembly's agenda -- President Jean Ping of Gabon asked the assembly's General Committee if there were any objections to not including the issue for discussion in this year's General Assembly.
\nWhen none were voiced, he banged his gavel, and the request was rejected without a vote.
\n"At the first General Committee meeting this year, among all items considered, the one concerning Taiwan took the longest time to discuss, with the largest number of countries participating in a fervent debate," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (
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