Two referendums on submitting a United Nations membership applications were held in Taiwan on 22 March 2008, the same day as the presidential elections.Government Information Office of the Republic of China (2008), Referendum Proposals, March 22, 2008 Presidential Election and Referendums – PRESS KIT Fact Sheet No. 6
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, had been a founding member of the United Nations (UN) until 1971, when the People's Republic of China took the Chinese seat. Since then, the country has sought to rejoin the organization.
The first referendum question, supported by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of President Chen Shui-bian,, International Herald Tribune, 7/27/2007 asked whether voters agree that the government should seek United Nations membership under the name "Taiwan". The second referendum question, supported by the Kuomintang (KMT), which on the same day won the presidential election, asked whether voters supported "our nation" seeking to "return" to the United Nations and join other international organisations under "flexible and practical strategies", including joining as "Republic of China", "Taiwan", or any other name that aids success and national dignity.
Although large majorities voted in favour of both proposals, the referendums were invalidated as voter turnout was just 36%, well below the 50% required. In contrast, the simultaneous presidential elections had a turnout of 76%.
Questions Proposal 5 Proposal 5 was initiated by Yu Shyi-kun, former Premier and chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party. The topic was "Application to become a new member of the United Nations under the name "Taiwan""
Proposal 6 Proposal 6 was first initiated by Vincent Siew, former Premier and Vice President.
Campaign Although the proposals referendums were both supported by one of the two major parties in Taiwan, they were both formally voter-initiated, rather than government-sponsored. While the KMT initiated one of the two referendums, it encouraged its voters to least boycott the DPP-initiated referendum, and expressed understanding if supporters chose to boycott both referendums. Although KMT officials such as presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou and chairman Wu Po-hsiung received ballot papers for the KMT-sponsored referendum, their family and other KMT officials, such as chairman emeritus Lien Chan refused to take ballot papers for either referendum. Former president Lee Teng-hui did not take either ballot paper, which he said was because he "forgot" to bring the documentation, although reporters at the scene pointed out to him that he did not need documentation to vote. DPP officials, including president Chen Shui-bian, called on voters to vote in both referendums.
Opinion polls Applying for United Nations membership under the name of "Taiwan" PollsterDateForAgainstTVBS17 July 20074629United Daily News14 September 20074331TVBS 19 September 20073451TVBS 18 January 20083352
Flexible participation in international organizations PollsterDateForAgainstTVBS 19 September 20071867TVBS 18 January 20081768
Results QuestionForAgainstInvalid/blankTotalRegisteredvotersTurnoutOutcomeVotes%Votes%Proposal 55,529,23094.01352,3595.99320,0886,201,67717,313,85435.82Proposal 64,962,30987.27724,06012.73500,7496,187,11835.74Source: CEC
Reactions : The United States Department of State has stated that it opposed a referendum on membership in the United Nations. While it strongly supports Taiwan's democratic development and is not opposed to referendums in principle, it is against "any initiative that appears designed to change Taiwan's status unilaterally." In September 2007, Zogby International conducted an opinion poll on the support of this referendum, the result shows over 61% of Americans believe that the US government should support the referendum.Zogby International -
: A Japanese company also conducted a poll on the same issue; the result shows over 74% Japanese support Taiwan's entry into the UN, and over 81% support the referendum."台灣入聯公投 81%日人支持", Liberty Times, 10/27/2007 However, this referendum has not become a major political issue in either the United States or Japan.
: China made relatively few comments on the issue. It argued that the referendum would "endanger peace and stability across the Strait and the Asia-Pacific region.", and was "pinning hope on the Taiwan people" and will keep promoting cross-Strait exchanges to strengthen opposition to secessionist forces. It had stated that it appreciated the US opposition to the referendum. After the referendums were defeated due to low voter turnout, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China commented that the results showed the lack of popular support for independence in Taiwan. The Bureau also expressed optimism for the two governments to work together to maintain cross-strait peace and aid development in future.国台办发言人:搞"台独"不得人心 期盼为两岸和平发展共同努力 (Spokesperson for Taiwan Affairs Bureau: Taiwan independence fails to win popularity; hopes to work together towards peaceful development of both sides of the Taiwan Strait)
President Chen Shui-bian accused both the United States and the European Union of caving into Chinese pressure over the referendum.
References
External links official press kit for the Republic of China United Nations membership referendum, 2008 Taiwan's UN Dilemma: To Be or Not To Be (Brookings Institution)