[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 16 (Wednesday, February 23, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  UNITED NATIONS MEMBERSHIP FOR TAIWAN

                                 ______


                       HON. WILLIAM J. JEFFERSON

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 23, 1994

  Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, the United Nations today includes 184 
member nations--almost all of the nations of the world, except Taiwan. 
Taiwan has a population of 21 million--more than that of 130 members of 
the United Nations, but Taiwan is not a member.
  In the economic field, Taiwan is the 14th largest trading nation in 
the world; its gross national product is the world's 20th largest; its 
annual per capita income exceeds $10,000; it has the largest foreign 
exchange reserves worldwide at $80 billion; it is the United States' 
sixth largest trading partner. But again, Taiwan is not a member of the 
United Nations.
  In the field of democracy, Taiwan has begun to make exceptional 
progress in recent years toward establishing democracy and securing 
political freedoms for its people. And again, Taiwan is not a member of 
the United Nations.
  Despite this economic and political progress and despite the people 
of Taiwan's strong desire to be recognized as a political entity 
separate from China, Taiwan has not been the beneficiary of 
representation in the United Nations. This gross lack of international 
recognition has left 21 million Taiwanese voices unheard in world 
affairs.
  It is uncontestable reality that the government in Taipei only 
exercises effective control over the Island of Taiwan and that the 
government in Beijing only exercises effective control over China. 
Since China is already seated on the United Nations' Security Council, 
I strongly believe that the people of Taiwan now also deserve a 
separate Taiwan seat in the United Nations.
  It is important to realize that the fact that 21 million residents of 
free and democratic Taiwan are not represented in the United Nations 
clearly goes against the United Nations' principle of universal 
representation.
  When the United Nations replaced the government in Taipei with the 
government in Beijing in 1971, this was done in order to ``strengthen 
the authority and prestige of the UN.'' And with Taiwan's ever 
increasing economic and political importance, the same argument which 
was used for China over 20 years ago must be applied to Taiwan's 
current bids to join the United Nations. Taiwan must now also join the 
United Nations in order to ``strengthen the authority and prestige of 
the United Nations.''

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