Taiwan intends to ask the United Nations in September to grant it “participation” in the global club, in a move that will put the nascent détente with China to its biggest test so far.

Government officials said the island would neither ask to “return” to the UN to retake the China seat the Republic of China lost to the People’s Republic of China in 1971, nor apply to “join” as a new member. “We believe asking for participation is more pragmatic,” said a foreign policy official.