• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

China, not U.S., is enemy in opposing U.N. referendum: president

ROC Central News Agency

2007-09-07 17:16:15

    Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Friday that it is China, not the United States, that is the enemy of Taiwan in opposing a planned referendum on the nation's application for membership in the United Nations under the name Taiwan.

    Chen made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of the 7th annual meeting of World Taiwanese Congress (WTC) in Taipei.

    The president said that he has been under tremendous pressure to push for the nation's bid to join the United Nations under the name of Taiwan, and to hold a referendum on the issue.

    The United States, based on its own national interests, has expressed concern, Chen said, noting that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said Aug. 27 that the United States is opposed to the referendum because Washington sees it as a step "toward a declaration of independence of Taiwan" and "toward an alteration of the status quo."

    Dennis Wilder, senior director for Asian Affairs of the White House National Security Council, also said Aug. 30 that Washington does not support U.N. membership for Taiwan because statehood is a requirement for membership in the world body and "Taiwan, or the Republic of China, is not at this point a state in the international community."

    Chen said that despite the opposition of the United States, "It is by no means our enemy or nemesis. Our enemy is China, hiding behind."

    Chen stressed that one must differentiate clearly that there is one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait, and "we must not mistake the enemy as our motherland. Only Taiwan is our country and motherland."

    Addressing the WTC meeting in Taiwanese, Chen pointed out that a recent public opinion poll showed that 74 percent of those surveyed believe that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country, and only 11 percent think that Taiwan is a part of China.

    Sixty-nine percent of those polled said they are Taiwanese, while only 17.7 percent said they are Chinese, he added.

    The poll also found that 85.2 percent said the nation's territory covers only Taiwan proper and the outlying Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, while 10.8 percent think that it includes mainland China.

    Those who support the bid to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan accounted for 75.6 percent, compared with 18 percent who are opposed to it, the president cited the poll.

    Chen pointed out that Taiwan has undergone a process of deepening democracy over the years, noting that the legislature underwent a general election in 1991, first popular presidential election was held in 1996, and a National Unification Guideline was scrapped in 2006.

    After all these reforms, the fate of the nation has been returned to the 23 million people on Taiwan, Chen said.

    A new and independent country has been borne -- Taiwan -- a country of 36,000 square kilometers and a population of 23 million. It is the 18th largest economy and 16th largest trading country in the world.

    With the rising Taiwan-centric consciousness, the president said the word Taiwan has become a common part in the public discourse of the island's 23 million citizens. "We will not be afraid of Chinese oppression, but will reach out courageously. We will actively join the international community, bid for membership in the United Nations and other international organizations under the name Taiwan so as to establish our new identity on the world map," the president said.

(By Lilian Wu)

enditem/jnc