The time has come for Taiwan to become a member of the UN...

Scott Simon is totally right about Taiwan - it's scandalous that Taiwan is not a member of the UN.

Taiwan is not a member of the UN. Neither was Switzerland until 2002. Yet nobody would argue that Switzerland became a sovereign state only in 2002. This year, Taiwan's diplomatic allies voted to place Taiwan's UN membership on the agenda of the General Assembly. Canada, Japan and the United States made friendly gestures to Taiwan by abstaining. This took decisive leadership and is perhaps a sign of more to come.

China's goal is to convince the world that Taiwan is part of China so they can eventually occupy the country without external intervention. This threat is all the more frightening when we consider that China also claims some Japanese islands and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. China has territorial ambitions and Taiwan is only the beginning.

Silence about China's claim on Taiwan only increases the chance of war. China already has some 1,000 missiles aimed at Taiwan and is adding more. Canada and its democratic allies must nudge China to move into a peaceful mode of co-existence with Taiwan. Encouraging China to accept Taiwan's entry into the UN and other international organizations would be a step in that direction. At least, such efforts would clarify that Taiwan is an issue of international concern.

Only the Taiwanese can decide if they apply to join the UN as "Taiwan" or the "Republic of China." No matter which name they prefer, however, they all agree that their country is not a province of the People's Republic of China. All Taiwanese hope the international community will support them, rather than turn a blind eye like it did in 1938 when Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia. Considering China's economic clout, it will take bold leadership and crafty diplomacy to support democratic Taiwan and avoid another tragedy. Let's hope Canada and its allies meet that task.

Let's hope that Stephen Harper is prepared to stand by Taiwan.