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President vows to defend Taiwan's national sovereignty

ROC Central News Agency

2007-07-30 21:37:23

    Taipei, July 30 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian vowed Sunday that as president of Taiwan, he will strongly defend the country's sovereignty and protect the country from being threatened by outside forces.

    Chen made the remarks at a swearing-in ceremony of a new head of Lions Clubs International Multiple District 300 in the northern county of Hsinchu.

    Chen said he regretted that the country's recent application to join the United Nations under the name of Taiwan, rather than the country's official title -- the Republic of China -- is regarded as a move to change the country's national title.

    Noting that the country uses the name of "the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) , Chen said that why the use of "Taiwan" in the country's U.N.-membership application is considered to be a move to change the country's national title.

    Chen said that Taiwan should not retreat from its stance, and that it is necessary for the government to adopt a different approach to join the U.N. and the World Health Organization (WHO) to protect the political and health rights of Taiwan's 23 million people.

    As a democratically elected president, Chen said that it is his duty, responsibility, and mission to defend the country's sovereignty, dignity, and security.

    Chen said that he will safeguard the country from outer threats, while urging the public to unify and to support the government in what he called "doing the right thing, and taking the right path."

    Previous actions taken by the Taiwan government to take part in world organizations encountered enormous oppression from China, Chen said, adding that Beijing has continued to spare no efforts in "suppressing, downgrading, and isolating Taiwan" over the years.

    Meanwhile, Chen stated that he is not discouraged by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's rejection of the country's application to join the world body under the name of Taiwan.

    Chen said he wrote another letter to Ban and Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya, who is currently serving as chairman of the Security Council.

    In the letter, Chen said he reiterated that according to the U.N. Charter, only the Security Council and the General Assembly have the final say on a country's U.N.-membership application.

    In addition, he said that the U.N. Resolution 2758, which enacted Oct. 25, 1971, neither gave China the power to represent Taiwan's 23 million people at the U.N., nor stated that Taiwan was a province or a part of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

    Chen said that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country that in no way belongs to the PRC.

(By T.C. Jiang)

ENDITEM/jnc