Anyone out there interested in the political wrangling over a flood prevention bill here in Taiwan?
No, didn’t think so.
Since it’s such a slow news day, I thought I would feature kind of a sad story about a missed opportunity that was outlined in Sunday’s Taipei Times. Back in the early ’70s, the Republic of China (Taiwan) still held the seat reserved for "China" on the UN Security Council. It became clear to everyone except the Taiwanese government that the ROC would lose its seat to the People’s Republic of China. While there were many who wanted dual UN recognition for the PRC and the ROC, Chiang Kai-Shek was set against it. He was certain that the ROC would be able to cling to its seat.
The rest is history. Taiwan lost that security council seat, and because of the obstinancy of an aged dictator, wasn’t even given the consolation prize of a General Assembly seat. For the last 15 years or so, newly-democratic Taiwan has gone to the UN, cap-in-hand, asking for the seat that it could have had in 1971.
Each time, its request is rebuffed. And the chance that it was once given may never come again.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2005/10/23/2003277026