News Analysis: Why Taiwan Attempt Doomed to Failure?
UNITED NATIONS, September 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations General Committee voted overwhelmingly Wednesday against the proposed reconsideration of Taiwan's representation at the United Nations, highlighting a doomed failure for the Taiwan authorities.
Nicaragua and other 11 countries addressed a letter on August 11 to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, urging the U.N. to examine Taiwan's "exceptional international situation" and allow the island to return to the UN as an independent country. But it's defeat is completely predictable and even the Taiwan authorities has cautioned against over-optimism.
It is the seventh time since 1993 that Taiwan, through a small group of countries, tried but failed to place its issue on the agenda of a General Assembly session. But this time things became more difficult.
The latest Taiwan attempt came amid tension buildup between the mainland China and Taiwan. The "special state-to-state relations" advocated by Taiwan recently has driven the world leaders to tackle with the Taiwan issue more carefully.
The proposal by the pro-Taiwan countries mirrored the island's two-country definition, putting the People's Republic and Taiwan on an equal footing. This has undoubtedly drawn sharp criticism from Beijing at first.
Beijing considers Taiwan as one of its provinces and its legitimate representation at the UN was restored in October 1971 when Resolution 2758 was adopted and the People's Republic was recognized as "the only legitimate representatives of China" at the UN General Assembly.
China's Permanent Representative to the UN Qin Huasun was quick to reassert on August 19 that the issue of China's representation at the UN has already been solved "in a just, thorough and comprehensive manner" and there is no need to take it up again.
It is recognized worldwide that as a permanent member of the Security Council, China carries undeniable weight in international affairs and Beijing's consistent warning against foreign intervention in its internal affairs can not be ignored.
Particularly when Taiwan's "special state-to-state relations" leaves little room for Beijing, which has never given up its right to use force in case of Taiwan independence and foreign aggression, The United States and many other countries are worried about the possible outbreak of military conflicts in the Taiwan Strait.
The United States, which has followed the "One China" policy in the past two decades but sold arms to Taiwan according to its domestic law, found itself in a dilemma. President Bill Clinton has ruled out on many occasions any change in the US China policy, while urging the two sides of Taiwan Strait to continue dialogue to achieve peaceful reunification. He went a step forward this weekend in New Zealand to admit that Taiwan's two-state definition had really troubled both China and the United States.
Under such circumstances, no one could hope the US would come to aid Taiwan in its attempt to swing back to the UN. Eventually in the past six years, Washington never took the Taiwan side publicly and this time it is almost impossible for the superpower to do otherwise.
Russia has made it clear that it opposes the reconsideration of Taiwan's representation at the UN. The other big powers like France and Britain will unlikely challenge China's legitimacy.
The number of proponents of Taiwan's representation is of no significance in comparison with the vast majority of developing countries, who had thrown their total weight behind China in early 1970s and never hesitated to beat back Taiwan's attempt to return to the UN in the last six years.
Neither should one expect Taiwan to openly admit defeat nor believe it will stop trying in vain. But Taiwan's dream may never come true since China is standing on solid legitimate ground while growing ever stronger.
| 
