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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Delegation promotes Taiwan’s UN bid
Taiwan United Nations Alliance head Michael Tsai, third left, US Representative Randy Forbeson, fourth left, and others pose for a group photograph at the Capitol Building in Washington on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Taiwan United Nations Alliance
Staff writer, with CNA /
A non-governmental Taiwanese delegation is in the US to promote Taiwan’s membership of the UN to coincide with the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.
Since arriving in Washington on Sunday, the 50-member delegation, led by Taiwan United Nations Alliance （TAIUNA） head Michael Tsai （蔡明憲）, has met with several pro-Taiwan members of the US Congress to convey Taiwan’s desire to join the UN.
They included Randy Forbes, chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee; Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs; Dana Rohrabacher, a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats; and Steve Chabot, another member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
During the meetings, the delegation urged the US lawmakers to use their influence to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN and its affiliated agencies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization, Tsai told Taiwanese media on Tuesday.
The delegation also hoped that the US would boost its interactions with Taiwan, and it called on the US Congress to review US policy toward Taiwan or China to give Taiwan more opportunities to participate in international organizations, he said.
Forbes told the delegation that Congress has added several provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that are aimed at enhancing military cooperation between the US and Taiwan, Tsai said.
These provisions include one that would allow high-level US military officers to visit Taiwan and another one that would allow Taiwan to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercises, he said.
Tsai also said he has written to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to stress Taiwan’s eligibility for UN membership.
UN Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, only stated that the UN seat held by the Republic of China （ROC） would be replaced by the People’s Republic of China （PRC）, but did not state that the PRC represents Taiwanese and that Taiwan is part of China, he said.
Tsai said a survey has revealed that as many as 84.8 percent of people in Taiwan are in favor of the nation joining the UN under the name “Taiwan.”
According to international law, Taiwan meets the requirements for a country because it has people, territory, a government and sovereignty, he added.
The ROC has tried without success to re-enter the UN since 1993, after losing its seat to the PRC in 1971.
In 2007, then-president Chen Shui-bian （陳水扁） changed tactics by bidding to join the world body under the name “Taiwan.”
After former president Ma Ying-jeou （馬英九） took office in 2008, Taiwan began to go with a more pragmatic approach by pursuing meaningful participation in UN-affiliated agencies, instead of seeking membership in the world body.
President Tsai Ing-wen’s （蔡英文） administration has indicated its intention to follow Ma’s approach.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
