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Taiwan's statehood beyond dispute: MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

2007-09-01 03:08:51

    Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) Taiwan is an independent sovereign state and its statehood is beyond dispute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman Wang Chien-yeh said Friday.

    Wang made the remarks after Dennis Wilder, senior director for Asian affairs of the U.S. National Security Council, said in Washington Thursday that the U.S. support for Taiwan's participation in the international organizations does not include membership in the United Nations, which requires statehood.

    Claiming that Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is not at this point a state in the international community, Wilder said: "The position of the United States government is that the ROC, Republic of China, is an issue undecided, and it has been left undecided, as you know, for many, many years."

    In response, Wang said Taiwan's statehood is beyond question and will not change or be affected simply because of a foreign official's comments.

    The absence of formal diplomatic ties between Taiwan and the United States will also not undermine the reality that the Republic of China on Taiwan is an independent sovereign state, Wang said.

    As to Wilder's statement that the issue of Taiwan's push for a referendum on its U.N. bid is almost certain to be discussed during upcoming talks between U.S. President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao at next month's meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Wang said the United States should separately deal with its relations with Taiwan and China.

    It is hoped that talks between U.S. and Chinese heads of state will not affect mutually beneficial Taiwan-U.S. relations, Wang said.

    Wang said the MOFA will step up dialogue with U.S. authorities to have them comprehend that holding a referendum on whether to apply for the U.N. membership is a response to mainstream public opinion and has nothing to do with changing the status quo or move toward declaration of independence.

(By Sofia Wu)

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