#1 Taiwan applies for UN membership
Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:29 pm
BBC
Now that I got this out of the way... Most of the people on Taiwan do not consider themselves Chinese, this is a shock I know but there it is. Those who do consider themselves Chinese are members of the Nationalist government who fled to the island after losing the war or their children and grandchildren. At first the ambition of the Taiwanese government was to reclaim rule of China but as the "natives" (for lack of a better term) take more and more power in Taiwan's government the ambition is changing to just that of being their own country and making their own way or so I am told.
Now as for the Chinese, they see the fact that Taiwan is not ruled from Beijing as a humiliation. A remind of the days when grubby foreigners controlled everything, many of believe that China cannot move past that time of weakness and shame until they get Taiwan under their control.
Kinda puts everyone else between a rock and a hard place.
Duck and cover folks this is not a drill!Taiwan has submitted its first formal application to join the United Nations, a government spokesman has said.
He said an application signed by President Chen Shui-bian had been delivered to the UN Secretary General.
The Chinese foreign ministry immediately dismissed the move, saying it was "doomed to failure".
Taiwan has long campaigned to join the UN but all such attempts have been blocked by China which regards the island as a breakaway province.
The government in Taipei held the UN seat for China until 1971 when it was replaced by Beijing.
This was the first time the country launched a bid for UN membership using its own name rather than the official title "Republic of China" used in earlier attempts.
"We resolutely oppose it and will keep a close eye on the development of the issue," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao was quoted as telling Xinhua news agency.
"The Taiwan authorities' attempt to split China will absolutely not succeed," he added.
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since nationalist armies fled the mainland following defeat in a civil war in 1949.
Taiwan is officially recognised by just 24 countries around the world.
Now that I got this out of the way... Most of the people on Taiwan do not consider themselves Chinese, this is a shock I know but there it is. Those who do consider themselves Chinese are members of the Nationalist government who fled to the island after losing the war or their children and grandchildren. At first the ambition of the Taiwanese government was to reclaim rule of China but as the "natives" (for lack of a better term) take more and more power in Taiwan's government the ambition is changing to just that of being their own country and making their own way or so I am told.
Now as for the Chinese, they see the fact that Taiwan is not ruled from Beijing as a humiliation. A remind of the days when grubby foreigners controlled everything, many of believe that China cannot move past that time of weakness and shame until they get Taiwan under their control.
Kinda puts everyone else between a rock and a hard place.