A General Assembly committee of the United Nations decided Wednesday not to consider the "Taiwan's representation in the UN," foiling for the 11th consecutive time Taiwan's attempt to join the world inter-governmental institution.

The UN 58th General Assembly opens in New York September 16, 2003. [Xinhua]

After hearing from representatives of more than 90 nations, a General Assembly committee rejected a bid for the question of U.N. membership for Taiwan to be added to the agenda for the assembly's 58th annual session, which opened on Tuesday.

The assembly's General Committee, a panel on which all 191 U.N. members have a voice, made the decision by consensus, with no formal vote.

The General Assembly has, for the 11th consecutive time, thwarted Taiwan's attempt to join the world inter-governmental body composed of sovereign states.

The decision was announced by Julian R. Hunte, president of the current session of the UN General Assembly, after a long debate on the issue, raised by Gambia and a few other countries.

Delegates from more than 100 countries addressed the General Committee session. Over 80 of delegates, including those from Britain, France, Russia and Spain, spoke in favor of China's position not to consider the issue.

Speaking at the session, Wang Guangya Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN, said that the purpose of a few countries in raising once again the issue of Taiwan's representation in the UN is to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" in the world body.

"It is not only a gross violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter but also a brazen challenge to the one-China principle widely recognized by the international community."

He said Resolution 2758, which was adopted by the 26th session of the UN General Assembly in 1971, has solved, in political, legal and procedural terms, the issue of China's representation inthe United Nations.

He noted that there is but one China in the world, both the mainland and Taiwan are part of that one and same China. "It is an objectivity that cannot be changed by anybody."

Wang said that the question of Taiwan is purely an internal matter of China, and an early solution to the Taiwan question and realization of complete reunification of the motherland is in the fundamental interest of the entire Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots and reflects the shared aspiration of all Chinese both at home and abroad.

He stressed that the creative concept of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems," put forward by Chinese top leader Deng Xiaoping constitutes the best way for the reunification between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits.

In their speech, delegates from many countries expressed the belief that there is no such issue as Taiwan's representation in the UN, as Resolution 2758 has solved the issue of UN representation for China, which includes Taiwan. They noted that raising the issue of Taiwan's representation in the UN constituted interference in China's internal affairs.

Many expressed regret that a few countries raised the same issue to no avail year after year, considering the move a waste of the precious time and resources of the General Assembly.

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