A Washington-based Taiwanese American group has lodged a protest with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) over US opposition to Taiwan's plans for a UN bid referendum. The planned referendum will state that Taiwan wants to join the UN under the name Taiwan.

The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) wrote a letter Wednesday to Stephen Young, director of the AIT's Taipei Office. The letter expressed strong disagreement with Young's recent statement in which he repeated US objections to the planned referendum. A copy of the letter was also sent to US President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The FAPA said the referendum would let the world know that the Taiwanese people want their country to be a full and equal member of the international community. They also said it would counter China's relentless efforts to isolate Taiwan.

The FAPA said the United States should support Taiwan's democracy if it wants to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. AIT is the de facto US embassy in Taiwan.