Taipei (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Taiwan will not request to be admitted to the United Nations this year, for the first time in 17 years. This was announced yesterday by James Chang, spokesman for the Foreign Minister, who has justified the decision of President Ma Ying-jeou with a generic reference to "the overall situation”.

For 16 consecutive years the island has applied for admission, always denied by the firm opposition from Beijing, which regards it as part of its territory and hinders any recognition as an autonomous international actor.

The country is recognized by only 23 countries, mostly small nations of Africa, Oceania and America, in exchange for which, Taipei provides economic aid. Beijing demands that other countries recognize it as the only Chinese state and break off relations with Taiwan. There is a real battle Between the 2 countries to secure the recognition of these small states, with offers of aid from both.

Yet for 16 consecutive years the Republic of China has applied for admission to the UN, protesting its unfair exclusion. The issue of independence was a veritable hobby horse for the previous president, Chen Shui-bian.

Experts say that the decision comes during a time of crisis in relations with China, because of the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to bring comfort to the people affected by Typhoon Morakot. The Dalai Lama clearly reiterated that his visit had no political significance, but only religious and humanitarian ones. But Beijing is opposed to any public recognition of the Tibetan leader and protested strongly,  cancelling some meetings already planned between the delegations of both countries. It 'still a widespread belief that the thawing of Beijing is more cosmetic than substantive and that the medium-term relations between the two sides will resume as before.

However there are many problems in relations between the two countries: yesterday, former President Lee Tenghui arrived in Japan for a visit of one week. Lee, 86, in the previous trip in 2008 angered Beijing, by stating among other things, that the disputed Diaoyu Islands are "Japanese territory".