Taiwan UN bid wins backing of MEPs

MEPs have called for Taiwan to be allowed to fully participate in international organisations, such as the UN.

The call comes ahead of today’s opening of the UN general assembly in New York where some of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies plan to table the island’s application for membership in the UN under its own name.

Some have dismissed the exercise as a political ploy and the UN secretariat has already indicated that the application, the 13th time Taiwan has tried to join the body, will be rejected.

But several MEPs have come out in support for Taiwan’s growing desire for international representation.

ALDE group leader Graham Watson said, “The time is right to involve Taiwan in the international community.

“The EU should stand up to recognise Taiwanese weight in the world and welcome negotiations leading to Taiwanese membership of the UN.”

His comments are echoed by Dutch Liberal Democrat MEP Jules Maaten, who said, “Taiwan is recreating itself as a model of world democracy and it certainly should get the thumbs-up from the EU.”

Michael Kau, of the Taipei  Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, welcomed their intervention, saying it was a “demonstration” of growing support for Taiwan’s case.

"The world community should take our issue seriously because any conflict in the Taiwan Strait is bound to affect peace and stability all over the world," he said.

The MEP comments come after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, on Sunday in support of UN membership.

The demonstrations were heavily criticised by China, which has a standing threat to take military action against Taiwan if the island were to declare formal independence.

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