Spiegel Interview with Taiwanese President Chen Shui-Bian

From Spiegel Online:

SPIEGEL: Mr. President, you have long spoken out in favor of a separate Taiwan. Now you have launched a campaign for acceptance into the United Nations. Why — and why now?

Chen: Taiwan wants to be treated like a normal country. There are at least 190 members of the UN. Why isn’t Taiwan one of them? Our wish is just as legitimate as Germany’s desire to be admitted to the UN Security Council. Taiwan is a sovereign and autonomous state. Our 23 million residents have the right to decide over their future. We have been trying for some time to use our correct name.

SPIEGEL: The Republic of China or Taiwan?

Chen: Taiwan. We believe the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan are two separate states. UN Resolution 2758 … [Full Text]