UN Plebiscite as Proposed by the KMT

UN Plebiscite as Proposed by the KMT

Main Text of the Plebiscite:

Do you agree that this country should seek a return to the United Nations and apply for admission to other international organizations through pragmatic, flexible strategies? In other words, do you agree that this country should seek a return to the United Nations and apply for admission to other international organizations under the name “Republic of China” or “Taiwan,” or any other designation that would help realize the bid and assure Taiwan of dignity?

Explanatory Note:
Applying to return to the United Nations and for admission to other international organizations is one of the Republic of China’s major policies to seek a return to the international community and the common aspiration of all ROC citizens. However, pressure from Mainland China has repeatedly sabotaged the Republic of China’s bid to return to the United Nations over the years. Therefore, pragmatic, flexible strategies are required in the future to secure the support of the international community to make a successful return to the United Nations and other international organizations.

Ⅰ. Reasons why the KMT wants to push for the ROC’s return to the UN and admission to other international organizations:
The Republic of China is one of the founding members of the United Nations. In 1971, the United Nations succumbed to pressure from Mainland China and adopted General Assembly Resolution 2758, depriving the ROC of membership, a decision which denied ROC citizens of representation in the UN. Soon after, a number of international organizations followed suit and deprived the ROC of membership.

The 23-million ROC citizens have a legitimate right to be part of the international community. As a sovereign state, the ROC is entitled to equal status in the international community. The UN’s refusal to grant the ROC membership is a sheer violation of its long-standing principle of “universality of membership” and a blatant disregard for the rights of ROC citizens as a whole. By denying the ROC’s membership, the UN is actually turning a blind eye to the prospect of resolving many international issues through the joint efforts of the ROC and other member states.

The majority of ROC citizens are in favor of a return to the UN. Opinion polls indicate that a great majority of ROC citizens are in favor of a return to the UN. The KMT, whether as ruling or opposition party, has always abided by mainstream values and stood side by side with the people.

Ⅱ. Strategies taken by the KMT to push for the ROC’s return to the UN and admission to other international organizations:
Experience has taught us that any attempt to seek admission to international organizations is doomed to failure if we insist upon applying under a specific designation or following a specific pattern. On the contrary, flexible, pragmatic strategies are more likely to win us the much-needed support from the international community. The ROC made a successful return to the International Olympic Committee and admission to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum under the designation “Chinese Taipei.” Admission to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)/World Trade Organization (WTO) was successful under the designation “the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu” (later abbreviated to “Chinese Taipei.”) These examples, which occurred under the KMT administration, highlight the fact that a pragmatic attitude is required for a successful return to the international community. It is impossible for Taiwan to play a more meaningful role in international affairs and protect its basic rights without securing admission to international organizations first.

The KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) both support the ROC’s return to the UN and admission to other international organizations, but there is a stark contrast in motives. The KMT sees the ultimate benefits in achieving the bid, whereas the DPP is using the bid for electioneering purposes. With its serious lack of experience in handling international affairs, the DPP tends to regard foreign relations as some kind of political bargaining chip to be used in election campaign strategies, often in a shortsighted way to manipulate domestic politics at the expense of national interests. It seems that the DPP is deliberately asking for failure by insisting on applying for admission to the UN under the name “Taiwan”, and one wonders what its true motives might be.

The DPP, despite knowing that application for admission under the name “Taiwan” is unlikely to be accepted by the UN, keeps forcing the issue. Its purpose is to arouse a sense of victim pathos for the “Republic of Taiwan,” its much-trumpeted brainchild. For the DPP, “admission to the UN” is merely a means to an end. The real aim is to manipulate elections and con votes out of the people. The KMT, on the other hand, is proposing to return to the UN under the name “Republic of China.” The KMT loves Taiwan, and insists on using a pragmatic, appropriate approach acceptable to the international community to seek a return to the UN, assuring the people of Taiwan of dignity and the ROC of greatness.

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