Mon, Jul 26, 2021 page3

• War could ‘lead to US recognition’

  ‘NOT IMPOSSIBLE’: Acceptance to the UN would end the nation’s troubles, but it would be impossible to achieve without US backing, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun said

  • By Ko Yu-hao and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  The US might recognize Taiwan if war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) said yesterday while discussing politics with former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).

  Speaking on Chen’s program on Smile Radio, You reminisced about his agrarian childhood, studies, the founding of the Democratic Progressive Party in 1986 and his eight years as Yilan County commissioner.

  Chen’s appointment of You as premier in February 2002 marked several firsts, as he was Taiwan’s youngest premier, as well as the first from a farming background and first democratically elected county leader to hold the office.

  

  Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, left, speaks to former president Chen Shui-bian during a radio show hosted by Chen in Kaohsiung yesterday.

  Photo courtesy of You Si-kun’s office

  Asked to share his views on joining the UN and Taiwan-US relations, You said that both are very important.

  Especially after the past two years under former US president Donald Trump, there is a chance that the US might recognize Taiwan in the event that Beijing pushes its boundaries too far, after which acceptance into the UN would be relatively fast, he said.

  “If war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, the US might recognize Taiwan, but if there is no conflict, it [recognition] could drag out for a long time,” he added.

  Taiwan has no hope of joining the UN without US support, You said.

  “Acceptance to the UN would be the end of Taiwan’s troubles,” You added.

  Taiwan must become a normal country if it wishes to escape its woes, but to become a normal country, the most important step is to join the UN, which would be impossible without US support, he added.

  When former American Institute in Taiwan director Brent Christensen left Taiwan earlier this month, You said he had told Christensen over the telephone that the US should draw a red line that Beijing cannot cross, adding that if China continues to send military planes into Taiwanese airspace and provoke Taiwan, the US should at the first opportunity recognize Taiwan as a country and establish diplomatic relations.

  “Establishing relations would of course be difficult, but not impossible,” You added.

  You also thanked Japan for treating Taiwan like a country during the Tokyo Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday.

  During the parade of nations, Japanese public broadcaster NHK called the nation “Taiwan” rather than “Chinese Taipei” as the team marched into the stadium.

  The nation’s team was also placed among countries whose names begin with “ta” in the procession organized based on Japan’s katakana syllabry, instead of those whose names begin with “chi,” as would have been the case for “Chinese Taipei.”
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