Former premier Yu Shyi-kun of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said the government should apply for UN membership, and urged Taiwanese to work together to make Taiwan a “normal” country.
“It is indeed our vision; a ‘normal’ country is the vision for Taiwan,” Yu said in response to media queries over whether President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration should push for UN membership.
It is not an easy task, but there is always hope if the public are determined and persistent, Yu added.
Accession to the UN is a necessary step to make Taiwan a “normal” country, he said.
Whether the nation joins the world body under the name “Taiwan” or “the Republic of Taiwan” can be discussed, but the vision should not be given up, he added.
Yu made the remarks before giving a speech at a Ketagalan Foundation event.
In the speech, he said Tsai has only been in office for three months and is facing many challenges.
Tsai, as head of state, has a vision, but there are some things she cannot say openly, he added.
Noting that Tsai has vowed to “maintain the status quo,” Yu said Tsai made the pledge to reassure China and the US that her administration did not intend to make any changes to the nation’s relations with Beijing and Washington.
If Tsai had said Taiwan seeks to join the UN, it would have triggered a strong reaction from the US and China, Yu said.
“She has to play the ‘good cop,’ and we can play the ‘bad cop,’” he said, urging the public to support a bid to join the UN under the name “Taiwan.”
Yu’s remarks come as the Taiwan United Nations Alliance, a group that advocates the nation’s accession to the UN under the name “Taiwan,” is scheduled to conduct a campaign in several US cities, including New York, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 19 in an effort to persuade the UN to support UN membership for Taiwan.
The 71st session of the UN General Assembly is to take place from Sept. 13 to Sept. 26 at its headquarters in New York.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) on Thursday said that Taiwan would not seek UN membership, but would continue to pursue meaningful participation in UN specialized agencies.
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