In mid-September, Taiwan will again attempt to join the United Nations, as it has since 1993. This time, it will probably get even less respect than it has in years past, due to the imperious action of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [shown at right].Taiwan's diplomatic dance with the international body had become routine. In mid-September, the U.N. General Committee would meet to devise an agenda for the General Assembly. Taiwan's allies would press the committee to include an item on the status of the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name) — a motion that would be quickly crushed by Beijing's allies.
This year, Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian wrote to the secretary-general, asking that his country's application for membership be submitted directly to the Security Council. For the first time, the application was made in the name of Taiwan, not the Republic of China.
Mr. Ban not only refused, but returned Mr. Chen's letter with the curt observation that under Resolution 2758, it is "the position of the United Nations that Taiwan is a part of China." That's not what Res. 2758 says. Adopted in 1971, it transferred China's U.N. seat from Taipei to Beijing. It says nothing about Taiwan's status.
Despite Mr. Ban's unilateral action, which violates the U.N.'s rules, Taiwan will press ahead. Sixteen nations will request that the General Committee include consideration of Taiwan's membership in the agenda for the General Assembly, which goes into session on Sept 18.
With the outcome foreordained, why bother? Because Taiwan must. Its annual applications for U.N. membership are the only opportunities it has to put the international community on notice that it exists as an independent entity whose exclusion from the world body is a gross injustice.
By asking for what should be its by right, Taiwan is saying: We're independent in all but name. It's been more than a century since Taiwan was governed directly by the mainland.
We meet all of the attributes of statehood set forth in the 1933 Montevideo Convention — a permanent population (with 23 million people, we're larger than 60 percent of U.N. member states), a defined territory and the ability to enter into relations with other states. Article 4 of the convention provides, "The political existence of the state is independent of recognition by other states." (Don Feder in today's Washington Times)
