By Xinhua
Washington : The US has said it opposes Taiwan's bid to join the United Nations as a separate nation, saying such a move could change the status quo unilaterally and increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
"Consistent with our one-China policy, we do not support Taiwan's membership in international organisations that require statehood, including the United Nations," State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack said Tuesday at a news briefing.
"We support Taiwan's inclusion, as appropriate, in international organizations that do not require statehood for membership," he added.
"The US opposes any initiative that appears designed to change Taiwan's status unilaterally. This would include a referendum on whether to apply to the United Nations under the name Taiwan," McCormack said.
While such a referendum would have no practical impact on Taiwan's UN status, it would increase tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Moreover, the spokesperson said, such a move would also appear to run counter to repeated commitments made by the leader of Taiwan to the international community.