Ma Clarifies: “Taipei, China” Unacceptable for Return to the UN

Ma Clarifies: “Taipei, China” Unacceptable for Return to the UN

According to media reports, KMT Presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou had mentioned that we should consider accepting Taiwan’s return to the UN under the name ‘Chinese Taipei’ and ‘Taipei, China’. After hearing that, Ma Ying-jeou solemnly declared, “I am not going to accept Taiwan’s return to the UN under the name ‘Taipei, China’.” He also stressed that diplomacy should be moderate and pragmatic, and avoid wishfully striving for slogans and leading the country into dead ends.

Ma said that the reason he had earlier mentioned ‘Taipei, China’ was in the context of Mainland China delegates having changed the title of our delegates to ‘Taipei, China’ during the Asian Development Bank annual meeting held in 1986. “From the very beginning, our delegates launched a strong protest against such ruthless conduct, but the protests produced no positive results, so after several mediations and the decision was made to continue our protest by boycotting for two years. Although Taiwan has returned to meetings of the Asian Development Bank, our delegates always put a plaque with the words ‘Under Protest’ on it, solemnly demonstrating our position”, he added.

Ma pointed out, “I just mentioned the current diplomatic situation; however, ‘Taipei, China’ is not my proposition. Taiwan protested every year. Of course, ‘Taipei, China’ is not acceptable to me or to others.”

Ma said, “Any state participating in an international organization should use its national title as the first choice; however, facing such difficult diplomatic circumstances, Taiwan should prepare back-up plans if we want to achieve any breakthroughs.” “As you know, ‘Chinese Taipei’ is the best example. Taiwan participated in the Olympic Games under the name ‘Chinese Taipei’. Although no one is completely satisfied with this designation, at least it can be accepted by both the ruling and opposition parties. After the DPP came to power, Taiwan continued to participate in the WTO under the name ‘Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and “Chinese Taipei” as its abbreviation’. The DPP government accepted these designations then and did not launch any protest or withdraw from the WTO”, he added. Ma stated that “the KMT proposes that it is necessary to adopt a pragmatic, moderate, dignity-assured, flexible strategy to return to the UN under the name ‘Republic of China’, or any other designation that would help realize the bid and assure Taiwan of dignity in its efforts to return to the UN and other international organizations, which is quite different from the DPP’s position.”

Ma solemnly restated, “It is impossible for me to accept the designation ‘Taipei, China’ to return to the UN”, and he stressed that diplomacy should be moderate and pragmatic, and avoid wishfully striving for slogans and leading the country into dead ends.

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