KMT Press Release

Press Release

KMT Culture and Communications Committee August 29, 2007

At a breakfast meeting with retired senior general officers this morning, KMT Presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou said, “the KMT pushes for a return to the United Nations and joining other international organizations under the name Republic of China, Taiwan, or other flexible, pragmatic designations with dignity. The purpose is to allow the people of Taiwan an opportunity to return to the international organizations, and at the same time, not to harm mutual trust with our friends. Hence, our plan is a better plan.”

Ma said that when the DPP government recently proposed a “joining the UN” plebiscite, they wanted to apply for admission to the UN under the name Taiwan.
He added, “We believe that based on the principle of universality of membership, the people of Taiwan should not be excluded from the UN, therefore we support a return to the UN.” However, he continued, “we must carefully consider the approach, the objective, and the means in order to avoid misgivings of the outside world.”

Ma indicated, “Today we face a situation in which we have to bite the bullet. Sometimes, the international situation is far from being favorable. Whether it is feasible to achieve a certain objective depends on the situation. Sometimes, with enough efforts and when conditions are there, it is not impossible to achieve in one stroke. To join international organizations is, of course, difficult; however, step-by-step, it would be a breakthrough starting with observership.”“Don’t make haste, exercise prudence” is the best motto. Hence, we hope to push it through a “returning to the UN” plebiscite, allowing the people of Taiwan an opportunity to join the UN, yet not losing mutual trust with our friends.”

Ma said, “the US government has never been more severe in negating publicly Taiwan’s policies. This is a serious warning signal. We should not assume that the US would help defend Taiwan under any circumstances. We should not assume that whatever reckless lines of action we adopt, the US would support them without question. The treatment received by President Chen Shui-bian in his transit through the US is miles apart from the rousing welcome he received in New York City. This represents the stern US view on the DPP government-sponsored “joining the UN” plebiscite. On this issue, we have maintained smooth communication with the US. The US understands our position: our objective is to allow the people of Taiwan an opportunity to return to the international organizations, and at the same time, not to harm mutual trust with our friends. Our plan is a better plan.”

Ma said that US Deputy Secretary John Negroponte publicly indicated in an interview with Phoenix TV of Hong Kong that “to apply for membership in the UN under the name of Taiwan is a mistake, a step towards a declaration of independence of Taiwan.” This view is close to ours. The KMT’s version is to push for a return to the UN and joining other international organizations under the name Republic of China, Taiwan, or other feasible, flexible, pragmatic designations with dignity, he added.

Ma said, “The Republic of China was eased out of the UN because of UN Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971. Since then, we have been hoping to return to the UN. Since 1994, our Foreign Ministry has been pushing for a return to the UN through our friends in the UN General Assembly. Although our efforts have met with setbacks, we have never forsaken our ideals.”

Ma added, “Since the ROC Government relocated to Taiwan and especially since the ROC left the UN in 1971, we have met with countless frustrations and setbacks; however, we have relied on a non-traditional, innovative approach to maintain a basic framework to engage the countries of the world, including governmental and non-governmental international organizations.”

He concluded by saying, “We have maintained our membership in the International Olympic Committee under the designation Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee.
Chinese Taipei was not a designation we liked, but that was a reluctant compromise we reached with the IOC. Only by so doing could we maintain our presence in the world of international sports. Similarly, when we applied for admission to the GATT/WTO, we adopted the designation “the separate customs territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu.” For these reasons, the KMT proposal is pushing for a return to the UN and joining other international organizations with a flexible and pragmatic approach.”

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