SPEECH OF HON. THADDEUS G. McCOTTER OF MICHIGAN
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2007

September 14, 2007

Madame Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge and support Taiwan's efforts to gain membership in the United Nations (UN).  Communist China's persistent and pervasive intimidation has spurred the UN's refusal to grant Taiwan membership and meaningful participation in the international organization; thus, notwithstanding Taiwan's democratic government, market economy, inherent sovereignty, and respect of human rights, Taiwan is the only democracy in the world banned from UN membership.

To rectify this abject inequity, on July 19, 2007, Taiwan's democratically-elected President Chen Shui-bian appealed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon accept the nation's application for UN membership.  Instead of forwarding the application to the UN Security Council, Mr. Ban unilaterally dismissed Taiwan's application; consequently, Mr. Ban cavalierly violated UN Security Council Rule 59.   In explaining Mr. Ban's violation, the UN Secretary General's office alleged the application was rejected because Taiwan is an integral part of communist China.  In making this factually unfounded determination, Mr. Ban subverted the authority of the UN Security Council and diminished the little credibility the UN retains.  Further, as the UN Secretary General is acting as a dupe for communist China, the UN will rightly and ultimately be viewed as a wholly owned subsidiary of communist China.

If, in addition to its innumerable instances of corruption and incompetence, the UN continues such arbitrary and capricious actions in relation to the sovereign democracy of Taiwan, this international organization will one day mirror the League of Nations - of which, if I may point out, no country remains a member.  

Madame Speaker, I strongly regret Mr. Ban's unilateral rejection of Taiwan's sovereignty and application to join the UN.  As the United States is the Leader of the Free World we must continue to support Taiwan's efforts to gain membership in the UN.