“Taiwan” is less the name of a nation and more a complex signifier that can be read from two perspectives. The first is what it means to other countries as an international entity; the second is about internal governance and the condensation of an entity in which people coexist.
First, let us look at what it means for people from the outside.
Last month, Taiwan returned to its annual frenzy for UN entry. Taiwanese, as they have done for many years, flocked to the UN in New York, loudly supporting the nation like proud family and friends at a TV talent show.
Meanwhile, the government labored largely unnoticed onstage through its well-rehearsed performance, the bored judges waiting for the performance to end. Set over, the judges gave the expected thumbs down, and Taiwanese retreated, tail between their legs, failing to progress to the next stage. There will be no UN entry this year.
However, this is not a talent show. It smells more like a circus.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has failed to stymie Taiwan’s national status hemorrhage on the international stage. Taiwan and the Republic of China (ROC) are being gradually erased from international communities, organizations and sporting events. The nation’s title is routinely replaced with “Chinese Taipei,” “Taiwan, China,” or “Taiwan, province of China.”
The national title is being wantonly replaced against the public will, portraying Taiwan as a part of China, which is a matter of great national shame and ignominy.
Yet, Taiwan’s presidents and governments have continuously been largely apathetic, turning a blind eye and allowing the vaporization of the nation to continue unchecked. The situation beggars belief.
The urgency of the rectification of the national title is not mere ideological discourse; it is part of the bitter experience of many Taiwanese.
Taiwanese traveling abroad have to go through the embarrassment of searching for Taiwan on computers at airport check-in desks, not knowing that “Taiwan” has been changed in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) list of countries: Neither Taiwan nor the ROC is on the official ISO list.
Being told your nation is not on the list is distressing for Taiwanese and something people do not forget in a hurry, but it is not an experience that presidents ever have to deal with.
This standardized system is not only used in airports, it is also used on Web sites used to access services in other countries, such as shopping or travel sites.
“Taiwan” does not exist in other countries. It makes one wonder how long the government is going to continue turning a blind eye.
Taiwanese have had enough of tip-toeing around Beijing and the US; we should not have to tolerate the indignity of having our nation trampled on and striving for sovereignty, which should be a given.
The government should stand up to the international community for what is rightfully Taiwanese, without worrying about being branded a “troublemaker.” If government continues to maintain the “status quo” or remains silent, the nation will continue to be shamed and trampled on.
If you want respect, you have to first respect yourself. Any nation that lacks the courage to solve its own predicaments will find it very difficult to enjoy the respect of others.
Taiwanese must continue to fight for what we want under the name “Taiwan,” to make ourselves the international community’s problem which can no longer ignored, otherwise we and our nation will be pushed out of sight, out of mind. Keeping quiet means being ignored, and that means getting erased.
Representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) has said that many German lawmakers and reporters have remonstrated against using “Chinese Taipei” to refer to Taiwan at international forums. However, they also say that it is up to Taiwanese to object to the term, noting how East Germans resisted until they saw the Berlin Wall come tumbling down.
If we keep skirting the problem instead of facing it, it will never be resolved. The problem of how Taiwan is perceived from outside and inside begins and ends with Taiwan.
Since taking office, Tsai has worked assiduously on a number of internal reforms, but seems to lack a clear overall national objective.
It is plain for anyone to see the industry and resolve with which Tsai goes about her job, but this has not translated into high levels of support in the opinion polls.
Tsai needs to stop trying to provide policy guidelines and start showing more leadership. She cannot just put her head down and push through, she should hold her head up and march forward, and explain her overall national objectives and vision.
This would move Taiwanese, give the public confidence, and enable them to hope for the future. As soon as Taiwanese have confidence, Tsai’s opinion poll ratings will improve, and that will make pushing through her policies a lot easier.
Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) said that when he was in office, he noticed that the most outstanding leaders shared three characteristics: They always talk about their aspirations; they were never content with the “status quo”; and they were always thinking.
They had an infectious quality that enabled them to persuade others to work with them to achieve their goals.
They could persuade people with different opinions to respect their ideas and their leadership philosophy.
Anyone serving as a national leader needs to be able to outline a vision of a reinvigorated Taiwan so people can see the nation’s potential.
They must also be able to realize Taiwan’s untapped potential and strength, and lead their team with vision and coordinate the government’s abilities across all ministries and to maximize the value that this nation has to offer.
This “Taiwan value” can be brought to bear on all aspects of the government’s vision, from industrial innovation to energy transition, from agricultural reinvigoration to the forward looking plan and to cultural education.
Taiwan has plenty of untapped potential which is waiting for a strong national leader and effective government to lead the way.
With Premier William Lai (賴清德) heading the executive branch, we have good reason to have high expectations that the government will deliver on major national infrastructure projects.
However, this is just policy execution: It is the primary engine driving the government machine.
Most importantly is the skipper at the helm of government, setting the route for the journey ahead. This is the job of the president, and the reason the electorate put them there.
If Taiwan is going to lift itself out of its current predicament, Tsai needs to show more leadership; seize the opportunity to give Taiwan a voice on the international stage and to make “Taiwan” a visible and much-discussed topic.
At the same time, she should build up Taiwan’s strength with a combination of manufacturing and economic clout, military capability and cultural influence, to allow the nation to emerge once more like a phoenix from the flames.
Whether it is the international perception of Taiwan, or how Taiwanese view this nation, the crux of success falls firmly in “Taiwan.”
Michelle Wang is a political commentator.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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