In an Era of UN Reform´ Right a 35-year Wrong

On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states,

"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind... Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs..."

In a historic move to strengthen the United Nations' effectiveness in advancing this ideal, on March 16, 2006, the General Assembly passed a resolution to establish the Human Rights Council.

At a time when the affirmation and defense of fundamental human rights have become a universally acknowledged imperative, the Republic of China (ROC, widely known to the world as Taiwan), one of the world's staunchest champions of human rights, has been kept outside the UN door for 35 years. This exclusion deviates from the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ignoring the fundamental human rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan and keeping them from contributing more effectively to the cause of human rights protection and promotion.

This pamphlet summarizes the reasons why sovereign Taiwan is not, but surely should be, a UN member, how it contributes to the international community, and why its participation in the United Nations will make the world a better place.

Why is Taiwan not allowed to participate in the United Nations?

Resolution 2758 (XXVI) has not resolved the issue of the representation of Taiwan's 23 million people.

In 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) was established, and the ROC government relocated to Taiwan. Since then, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have been governed separately, with neither subject to the other's rule.

In October 1971, the PRC took over the seat held by the ROC in the United Nations following the passage of UN Resolution 2758, which resolved the issue of China's representation at the sacrifice of Taiwan's participation. The resolution has subsequently been misapplied to justify Taiwan's exclusion from the United Nations, and the rights and interests of its 23 million people have not been upheld and protected in the world body.

China has wielded its influence to squeeze Taiwan's international space.

In 1993, Taiwan began actively seeking participation in the United Nations. This campaign has been spearheaded by Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the UN General Assembly. However, China has capitalized on its permanent membership in the UN Security Council to block Taiwan's participation. In fact, China has relentlessly subverted Taiwan's efforts to play a constructive role in global community affairs. Recent examples of its obstructionism include the following:

， China refused to invite representatives from Taiwan to take part in the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza held in Beijing in January 2006, co-hosted by the European Commission and the World Bank. Taiwan had been invited to similar conferences, including those organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva in November 2005 and Tokyo in January 2006.

， Originally, Taipei and Beijing！the capital cities of Taiwan and China, respectively！were both members of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 (ANMC 21), which was founded on the ideal of creating a forum for cooperation in dealing with the practical problems that East Asia's big cities share, free of unnecessary political complications. China's central government forced the Beijing municipal government to withdraw from the ANMC 21 and to cancel its hosting of the organization's 2005 plenary meeting. Why? Because the organization had voted at its 2004 meeting in Jakarta to hold the 2006 meeting in Taipei.

， Since Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in January 2002, China has constantly pressured the WTO Secretariat to downgrade the status of Taiwan's representative office from Permanent Mission to Economic and Trade Office.

Why does Taiwan deserve to participate in the United Nations?

Universality is a core UN principle.

Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations invites all peace-loving states to join the organization. As the world faces the challenges and opportunities of the new century, the application of the UN principle of universality has taken on a new sense of urgency. The denial of Taiwan's right to representation and participation in the United Nations not only poses a moral challenge to the international community, but also violates the principles and spirit of the UN Charter.



Taiwan has made outstanding achievements in economic development and democratization.

Through decades of hard work, the people of Taiwan have made world-acclaimed accomplishments in economic development. In 2005, Taiwan was the world's 17th-largest economy and 16th-largest trading country. It also plays a substantial role in the global information technology (IT) industry. Taiwanese companies, for example, command the largest global market share in a number of IT product categories, including notebook computers, motherboards, and LCD monitors. In addition, Taiwan consistently receives high marks for international competitiveness (see Tables).

Democratization in Taiwan has also made significant progress over the last two decades. Martial law was lifted in 1987, followed by a series of constitutional reforms, making it possible for Taiwan to hold its first direct presidential election in 1996 and undergo the peaceful, unprecedented transfer of power from one political party to another following the 2000 presidential election. Taiwan was rated as Asia's freest country in the Freedom in the World 2006 survey conducted by Freedom House and was confirmed to have a free press by the same organization's Freedom of the Press 2006 survey.



Taiwan has contributed to the world through its cooperation programs.

， In 2004, the APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC), an independent, non-profit organization funded by Taiwan, was officially launched under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, with the aim of assisting developing member economies in building their digital capacity. By July 2006, Taiwan had established ADOC partner offices and Digital Opportunity Centers in the Philippines, Vietnam, Peru, and Indonesia.

， In August 2005, Taiwan's National Taipei Hospital and Mongolia's Second United Hospital officially established sister hospital relations. The two will undertake exchanges and cooperate in improving medical and public health services, hospital management, and therapeutic technologies.

， In October 2005, a volunteer overseas medical team, formed by Taiwan's Chia Yi Christian Hospital, launched overseas medical services in Manila. Its objectives include establishing sister hospital relations with Sorsogon State Hospital in the Philippines, offering free medical services, and arranging for local medical and nursing staff to receive training in Taiwan.

Taiwan plays an active role in providing humanitarian assistance.

， Over the past decade, Taiwan's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have contributed US$87 million in humanitarian aid around the world, providing cash and in-kind aid, medical services, and job training programs. 　 ， In December 2004, a powerful tsunami swept across the Indian Ocean. In response, Taiwan's public and private sectors raised over US$200 million in disaster relief, including cash as well as medical and relief supplies for the disaster areas.

， In July 2005, Taiwan donated 600,000 capsules of Tamiflu to Vietnam to assist with avian flu prevention.

， In October 2005, after an earthquake rocked northern Pakistan, Taiwan's public and private sectors immediately sent medical and relief teams to the disaster area.

， In October 2005, Sao Tome and Principe experienced a serious outbreak of cholera. Taiwan swiftly dispatched a cholera control team to help set up facilities for supplying clean water.

， In May 2006, an area in southern Java was struck by a strong earthquake and tsunami. Taiwan sent three medical missions to the area to provide urgent medical assistance and donated nearly US$200,000 worth of medicine and medical equipment.

The above-mentioned are just a few examples.

Taiwan has devoted itself to promoting human rights.

As a democracy, Taiwan is committed to abiding by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other important international human rights conventions. Furthermore, Taiwan established the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy in June 2003, and co-founded the Democratic Pacific Union in August 2005, to promote democracy, human rights, freedom, and peace in accordance with principles set down by the United Nations.

Why will the world be better off with Taiwan's participation in the United Nations?

It will facilitate the sharing of Taiwan's rich experience in economic and democratic development.

Taiwan has always been willing to share its unique experience in economic development with the rest of the world by engaging in foreign assistance and cooperation programs. As of June 2006, Taiwan had 36 long-term technical missions stationed in 30 countries carrying forward projects in many fields, including agriculture, fisheries, health care, transportation, vocational training, trade and investment.

Moreover, Taiwan's successful transition to democracy serves as a good example for many developing nations. Such endeavors will be more effective if they are coordinated with international efforts undertaken through the United Nations and its specialized agencies.

It will improve the global disease prevention and control system by bringing to bear Taiwan's health care experience and resources.

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in late 2002 in China demonstrated that a lack of international cooperation in combating contagious diseases can lead to disastrous international epidemics. Chinese authorities covered up and downplayed the situation initially, resulting in the spread of SARS to other countries and almost 800 deaths, including 73 in Taiwan.

During the months-long ordeal, Beijing continuously obstructed the WHO's efforts to provide timely expert guidance to Taiwan's health authorities. This not only led to suffering in Taiwan but posed the danger that SARS would spread from Taiwan to other countries.

Taiwan has been forced to deal with other serious health problems on its own. An outbreak of enterovirus in 1998, for example, claimed 78 lives. Close supervision by the government and enhanced public awareness have greatly reduced the scale of recurrent outbreaks of the disease and the number of deaths caused by it.

No country should be excluded from the global network for preventing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The denial of Taiwan's right to equal access to the WHO endangers the health of its own people as well as that of peoples around the world. Taiwan's inclusion will reduce these dangers and enable it to contribute to the world its valuable health care experience and resources.

Why is Taiwan's participation in the United Nations important to regional peace and security?

Peace in the Taiwan Strait is essential to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.

Taiwan is an important geopolitical and economic fulcrum in East Asia and a key hub for sea and air transportation. The Taiwan Strait is one of the world's busiest transportation arteries, with hundreds of commercial vessels and civilian aircraft plying its waters and flying through its air space every day. In the context of ongoing regional integration and increasing global interdependence, peace in the Taiwan Strait has a direct impact on the stability of the Asia-Pacific and the entire world.

China's irresponsible behavior poses a grave threat to East Asia's peace and security.

China has deployed more than 800 missiles aimed at Taiwan, and has continued double-digit growth in its military expenditures in recent years. In March 2005, the PRC National People's Congress even enacted an "anti-separation law" (so-called anti-secession law), which authorizes the Chinese government to employ "non-peaceful means" to resolve cross-strait disputes, thereby unilaterally changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

In July 2005, a senior People's Liberation Army (PLA) general threatened that the PLA is likely to launch a nuclear strike against any country that dares to interfere in a cross-strait conflict. In August 2006, the Chinese defense minister connected the PLA's modernization drive with Beijing's refusal to acknowledge Taiwan's sovereign status.

Such bellicosity is clearly in conflict with the United Nations' goal of maintaining international peace and security. The United Nations should pay close attention to this situation and take concrete actions to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan is a positive force for maintaining peace, prosperity, and stability in Asia and the Pacific.

Taiwan firmly upholds the UN ideals of international peace and respect for human rights. Its government has also repeatedly called for the peaceful settlement of political disputes between Taiwan and China. Taiwan's participation in the United Nations will make the latter a more effective platform for encouraging the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.

The United Nations can play an active role in settling cross-strait disputes.

In December 2005, the UN General Assembly and Security Council passed a resolution to create the UN Peacebuilding Commission. In July 2006, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1695, which calls for adherence to peaceful means and adoption of diplomatic measures to ameliorate tensions in the Korean Peninsula. Resolutions 59/87 and 60/64 of the UN General Assembly also emphasize that parties to disputes should engage in meaningful dialogue to prevent conflicts. All of these resolutions have demonstrated the United Nations' insistence on resolving disputes through peaceful means.

Peace across the Taiwan Strait is critical to lasting peace, security, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. As the premier global forum for dialogue, the United Nations can provide a platform for Taiwan and China to settle disputes through peaceful means, and encourage transparency and confidence-building in military affairs. By playing an active role in addressing problems in the Taiwan Strait, the United Nations can better ensure peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

Last Update: September 6, 2006