Taiwanese president asks China for help with U.N. bid

by Taiwan Outlook | August 1, 2007 at 01:35 am

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NEWS OF THE WEIRD:

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has written to China's U.N. representative...to appeal the global body's recent decision not to make Taiwan a member, a presidential spokesman said Wednesday.

Taiwan was expelled from the U.N. in 1971, when it was replaced by the mainland Chinese government. China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing still claims the self-ruled island as its territory and opposes moves that signify Taiwan's status as a sovereign nation, such as U.N. membership...

"Opposes" is putting it lightly. China has demonstrated repeatedly that it will resort to force to keep Taiwan from becoming an independent country that's globally recognized. Let's not forget PRC's military exercises in 1996 that sent ballistic missiles over Taiwan, a testament to China's improving missile engineering as none accidentally fell onto populated areas. It is telling that on the same page of The China Post (Taiwan's main English newspaper) is the following story:

China determined to stop Taiwan independence: Cao

China has the ability and the will to stop self-governing Taiwan from declaring independence and is prepared to do so, the country's defense minister was quoted as saying on Tuesday...

..."We have the determination, the ability and are prepared to stop Taiwan independence and serious incidents which Taiwan independence may bring," cautioned Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan. "We will staunchly protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said at an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army...

...Last week China and Taiwan traded barbs over the island's latest failed attempt to join the United Nations.
Beijing called the island's President Chen Shui-bian "scum" and Taiwan said China could not face up to the fact of its sovereignty...

Stay tuned for reactions from Taiwan's public on its president's reassuring act of desperation, asking help from an enemy to engage in an act that said enemy has vowed never to do.