The promotion of this year’s UN bid will abandon large street-corner advertising in favor of canvassing think tanks as it tries to seek international support for Taiwan, Government Information Office (GIO) Vice Minister William Yi (易榮宗) said on Tuesday.
Yi said that GIO Minister Vanessa Shih (史亞平) would inform the world of Taiwan’s strong intention to participate in the international organization.
The GIO has asked all Taiwanese correspondents in foreign countries to provide information and background on Taiwan’s UN bid to local media and invite international media and think tanks to attend seminars to provide a better understanding of Taiwan’s relations with China and the country’s need for UN membership, Yi said.
The measures are aimed at arousing international awareness of Taiwan’s exclusion from global issues like environmental protection, health and the fight against terrorism because it is barred from joining international organizations, Yi said.
The Presidential Office confirmed last Tuesday that this year’s UN bid will sidestep the thorny question of what name the country should use, and instead focus on securing Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in the organization.
For the past 15 years, Taiwan has failed in its bids to become a UN member because of opposition from China. Last year’s failed bid was the first time the country had used “Taiwan” instead of the “Republic of China” — its formal name — in a move to highlight the nation’s de facto independence.
This year’s UN bid was delivered to the General Assembly by 17 of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies last Thursday in the hope that it will be included on the assembly’s agenda. The assembly will convene on Sept. 16.
Yi said New York, where the UN General Assembly takes place, will not be the only target of the promotion and that capital cities of the other four UN Security Council permanent members will all be covered.
This year’s promotion will save money but will not necessarily be any less effective, Yi said.
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