Chen said that democratic Taiwan should not be isolated by the international community and that Taiwan's bid for U.N. membership requires the Taiwanese people to demonstrate their will and determination for the cause. He said that compatriots can participate in parades, sign petitions or write letters to the U.N. to voice support for Taiwan's bid under the name of "Taiwan."

Surveys have shown that 77.3 percent of Taiwanese support the idea of Taiwan joining international organizations, including the United Nations, under the name of "Taiwan," Chen said. Through joint efforts, the Taiwanese people will be able to let the whole world hear their voice, Chen added, urging them not stop pushing for membership despite recent setbacks.

After its first application was returned by the U.N. Office of Legal Affairs on July 23, Taiwan submitted a second application to the U.N. on July 31 in two letters signed by President Chen and addressed separately to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Wang Guangya, China's permanent representative to the United Nations who served as rotating president of the U.N. Security Council for July.

Asked about the matter during a daily press briefing, Marie Okabe, deputy spokeswoman for the secretary-general, said she could not confirm at this point whether the U.N. had made an official response to the latest move by Taiwan.

"But our position has not changed since the last time we were asked," Okabe added.

Okabe noted that the previous application was returned in keeping with U.N. Resolution 2758, which she said is the basis of the United Nation's "one-China" policy. She was referring to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 1971 that recognized representatives of the People's Republic of China government as "the only legitimate representatives of China to the U.N." and expelling representatives of the Republic of China.

Responding to a question by a Central News Agency reporter last week, Ban pointed out that U.N. membership is only granted to sovereign countries and that the U.N. position remains that "Taiwan is part of China."

China's state-controlled Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang as calling Taiwan's latest move "a very serious separatist act seeking independence for Taiwan."

Expressing firm opposition to the move, Wang stressed that there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, according to Xinhua.

In his latest letter to Ban, President Chen argued that U.N. Resolution 2758 neither grants China the right to represent Taiwan at the U.N. nor states that Taiwan is either a part of China or the People's Republic of China.

Chen asserted that Taiwan is an independent sovereign nation and that its people have the right to participate in the U.N.

In addition, Chen urged Ban to process Taiwan's application according to procedure, because only the Security Council and the General Assembly have the authority to review and decide on membership applications, and "the U.N. Secretariat does not have the power to decide on such matters."