In Bid To Join U.N., Taiwan Sends Statue of Sea Goddess Matsu to New York

Taiwan's government is sending a statue of the sea goddess Matsu to New York as part of its campaign seeking membership in the United Nations.

"She is a really well-respected goddess, and we're sponsoring her first trip to the U.S.," a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, David Wang, said in a phone interview. "It will give Taiwan more visibility before the next U.N. session" in New York.

The 386-year-old statue of Matsu from China's Fujian province normally stays in Taiwan's Chiayi County. It's a representation the Taoist goddess of the sea, who according to legend protects fishermen and sailors. The goddess is revered in East Asia, including China and Vietnam, and is known by different names such as Tin Hau in Hong Kong.

The statue, which is about 3.3 feet high and is carried on wooden poles, will have a boarding pass in her name and receive priority treatment at Taiwan immigration, the United Evening News reported Wednesday, without citing anyone. The statue will fly in a passenger seat, not in the cargo section, the report said.

Nongovernmental organizations will also sponsor the statue's trip to America, where it will be part of street parades and other religious events, Mr. Wang said. He declined to comment on the newspaper's report that put the ministry's cost for the trip at about $91,000.

The trip will begin September 15, ahead of the U.N. General Assembly's next session, which begins September 18, the United Evening News reported.

Taiwan started an international campaign for observer status of the United Nations under its official name the Republic of China, or R.O.C., in 1993. The United Nations has rejected the application each year because of opposition from China.

Taiwan was a U.N. member until 1971, when China took the seat. China and Taiwan have been ruled by separate governments since the end of a civil war in 1949. China, which claims the island as its territory, opposes any international acceptance of Taiwan as a nation. Taiwan plans to hold a referendum to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan in March 2008 along with a presidential election, a move that America rejects.

"We do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state," U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Christensen said in a speech on September 11, according to a transcript. "We would reiterate that we do not support Taiwan's membership in international organizations that require statehood and therefore would not support such a referendum."