"I believe the UN is not fair to Taiwan... The world is wrong for not allowing Taiwan, with 23 million people, to be a member of the UN," Mutharika said before leaving for New York to attend the UN's annual general assembly.

Mutharika, who took power in 2004, has repeatedly advocated letting Taiwan join the United Nations.

Malawi is one of 24 nations that recognise Taipei rather than Beijing as the legal government of all China. China is one of the five veto-weilding permanent members of the UN Security Council.

"The UN is not truly a global organisation unless it invites Taiwan," Mutharika told reporters.

"There is no justification for Taiwanese people to be kept out because of power politics," he said, adding that UN was not only for "mighty powers" but small states as well.

Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, has launched repeated bids to join the UN since 1993 but its efforts have failed due to objections from Beijing.

Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949 at the end of a civil war. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and condemns its campaign for UN membership as a move toward declaring formal independence.

Beijing has threatened to invade should the island declare formal independence.

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