A Sui Generis Model for Taiwans IGO Participation: Toward a Functional Competence Approach


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A Sui Generis Model for Taiwans IGO
ParticipationToward a Functional Competence
Approach

• Vincent Wei-cheng Wang
• Associate Professor of Political Science
  International Studies
  
• University of Richmond
• National Chengchi University
• 22 December 2005

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Whether to Develop Foreign or Cross-Strait
Relations as Priority
Percentage
Source Compiled from Mainland Affairs Council
Whether to Develop Foreign or Cross-Strait
Relations as Priority online at http//www.mac
.gov.tw/english/english/pos/9205/9205e_5.gif.
A 2002 MOFA poll asks respondents whether they
consider participation in international
organization in any capacity or participation
only under a proper name (one that presumably
reflects Taiwans sovereign status) as more
important participation wins by more than two to
one.
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Patterns of Growth in Numbers of Conventional
IOs 1909-1999

Source Yearbook of International Organizations
1999/2000 edition (Brussels Union of Internatio
nal Associations 2000). http//www.uia.org/stat
istics/organizations/ytb299.php.
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Numbers of IGOs and NGOs to Which Taiwan Belongs

(Select Years)
Source zhonghua minguo jiushiyi nian waijiao
tongji nianbao Republic of China Foreign Affairs
Statistical Yearbook 2002) online at http//w
ww.mofa.gov.tw/newmofa/sdo/kc-91/p68.pdf
Deon Geldenhuys Isolated States A Comparative
Analysis (Cambridge Cambridge University Press
1990) 173.
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IGOs in which Taiwan is a member (1)
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IGOs in which Taiwan is a member (2)
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Taiwans International Organization Participation
(CIA World Factbook) APEC ADB BCIE ICC (Intern
ational Chamber of Commerce) ICFTU (International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions)
IFRCS (International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies) IOC (International Olympi
c Committee) WCL (World Confederation of Labor)
WTO
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IGOs in which Taiwan is an Observer
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Taiwan Membership in International
Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) (as of July
2002)

Source Ministry of Foreign Affairs
htm and Government Information Office The
Republic of China Yearbook Taiwan 2001 (Taipei
GIO 2001) 137. Examples are authors picks
from the websites links.
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States Countries and Territories Separate
Geographic Entities as Defined by the CIA World
Factbook
Source Central Intelligence Agency The World
Factbook 2001 available at http//www.odci.gov/ci
a/publications/factbook/. Authors modification
East Timor.
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Taiwans importance in the world economy (select
indicators)

• the worlds 17th largest economy (PPP)
• the worlds 26th wealthiest economy in per capita
  terms (PPP)
  
• the worlds 3rd largest foreign exchange
  reserves
  
• the worlds 3rd or 4th largest information
  hardware with dominant positions in many
  products
  
• Kaohsiung is the 6th busiest port by container
  traffic and 17th busiest by total cargo volume
  
• Taipei International Airport is the worlds 11th
  busiest airport by cargo traffic
  
• Evergreen is the worlds largest commercial liner

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A Key Player in the Globalization EraTaiwan
ranks 36th on the 2005 Globalization Index.But
it scores unevenly on the Indexs 4
dimensions.Diplomatic isolation has jeopardized
its globalization.
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Functionalist Approach to Global Governance Main
Functions of Selected IGOs

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When Global Governance Values Functional
Importance Over Fairness Special Provisions for
Members of Chief Importance in Governing
(Selected IGOs)
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If S Taiwan joins as a sovereign state
O Taiwan joins as an other (i.e. a sui
generis capacity) E Taiwan is excluded The
n The following rank orders of each players
preferences emerge For the ROC S O E
For the PRC E O S For IGOs O E S
O is the best overall outcome
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Toward a Sui Generis (Functional Competence)
Model for Taiwans International Participation

• Decoupling the issues of Taiwans IGO membership
  and diplomatic recognition.
  
• Amending charters or constitutions of those IGOs
  that allegedly only admit sovereign states so
  that they can also admit a functionally competent
  entity (for a particular issue area).
• Stating on Taiwans accession documents that
  admission into a given IGO does not have any
  impact on that bodys position on China
  representation or imply sovereignty for Taiwan.
• Stipulating that Taiwan will automatically lose
  membership if it declares independence after its
  entry into the IGOs.