By Jean Yueh (Taiwan Journal, Sept. 5, 2008)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials told the local media last week that the Republic of China's 2008 proposal to join the United Nations specialized agencies was well received by the United States, Europe and Japan, despite continuing to face opposition from mainland China.
Four days after 17 of the ROC's diplomatic allies proposed that the United Nations examine Taiwan's right to "participate meaningfully" in the activities of U.N. specialized agencies Aug. 14, Beijing's ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya wrote to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and reiterated mainland China's position that Taiwan is part of "China." Wang stated that Taiwan's bid not only violates the Beijing government's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but it is also "detrimental to the prevailing good momentum in the peaceful development of cross-strait relations."
Contrary to past statements, Wang's letter, however, noted that the mainland wished to find a proper solution to resolve Taiwan's participation in international activities through cross-strait talks. Beijing's response toward the island's move did not appear in the local media until late last month, after the letter was posted on the U.N. Web site.
"We are not surprised by mainland China's consistent stance," MOFA spokesman Henry Chen told the press in Taipei Aug. 28. "However, we must stress that our bid was supported by the United States, Europe, Japan and other countries. The international community has been positive and supportive toward our flexible and practical approach." Chen stressed that meaningful participation in the U.N. specialized agencies and activities is a set goal of the ministry, and such efforts will continue.
The ROC was a founding member of the United Nations but walked out of the world body in 1971 after losing its U.N. Security Council seat to mainland China. Since 1993, Taiwan and its diplomatic allies have urged the United Nations to review U.N. resolution 2758--adopted in October 1971, which recognized Beijing over Taipei, but failed to address Taiwan people's representation and participation in the United Nations.
Last year, Taipei used the name "Taiwan" in its bid for full membership of the world body, but the attempt lacked support from the United States, Europe and other aligned countries. This year's proposal was made under the ROC name but constituted a clear break from past attempts as it pinpointed participation in specialized agencies.The proposal has been viewed as a crucial test to President Ma Ying-jeou's new "flexible diplomacy" approach, which calls for an end to wasting national resources in the struggle to win over diplomatic allies, and a refrain from conducting activities that would hurt the interests of Taipei and Beijing.
European Union parliamentarian Georg Jarzembowski told the Belgium media that he "fully endorsed" Taiwan's move. "It is a perfectly reasonable and well-founded request and the very least [mainland] China can do," the chairman of EU parliament's Taiwan Friendship Group was quoted in a Central News Agency report Aug. 28 as saying. "After the success of the Olympics, it would represent an appropriate goodwill gesture on the part of Beijing."
Taiwan's exclusion from the World Health Organization has been detrimental to the health rights of the 23 million people and foreigners residing on the island, Jarzembowski added. "It is vitally important Taiwan is allowed to join such organizations, not just for the nation but for the rest of the world," the German parliamentarian said. In May this year, Beijing opposed Taiwan's request to take part in the WHO. |
