A decision by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to delay a plan to add "Issued in Taiwan" in Roman script on the nation's passports has placated pro-Taiwan lawmakers -- for the moment.
Eugene Chien (簡又新), minister of foreign affairs, on Tuesday announced he was delaying the plan, which was to be effective in November. DPP lawmakers had opposed the change, saying it didn't go far enough in clarifying the nation's identity on its passports.
Legislators yesterday said they planned to change the Passport Act (護照條例) to force the ministry to adopt an alteration that would put "Taiwan" in Roman script above the word "Passport" on the cover of the nation's new passports.
"I am now pushing for an amendment to Article 13 of Passport Act, which I intend to put on the table when the new legislative session begins in September," DPP lawmaker Trong Chai (蔡同榮) said yesterday.
Chien announced the delay at the legislature on Tuesday after negotiating with more than 20 DPP lawmakers, who had threatened to protest at the foreign ministry if it stuck to its original plan.
"After talking to us, [Chien] felt there was a strong desire among the 20 DPP legislators to add `Taiwan' in Roman script above `Passport' on our passport covers," Chai said. "And if he didn't make any compromise, he knew he would be in trouble, as we wouldn't help him in the future if he asked us to do him a favor."
A foreign ministry official familiar with the issue said implementation of the ministry's plan would be delayed at least until after the new legislative session opens in September.
Chien told reporters earlier this month the ministry would follow an Executive Yuan order to print "Issued in Taiwan" in Roman script at the bottom of the nation's passport covers beginning in November.
But a resolution passed in the legislature's Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee on May 30 recommended that "Taiwan" in Roman script be printed above "Passport" on the nation's passports, alongside the country's formal designation, Republic of China. The resolution, aimed at overturning the Executive Yuan's plan, received a boost on July 2 when the DPP's Central Standing Committee urged the Cabinet to follow the recommendation.
But Chai, who initiated the legislative committee's proposal, received a letter from the ministry on July 9 saying it would stick to the original plan.
Adding "Issued in Taiwan" would denigrate Taiwan's national status because it leads people to think that Taiwan is a regional government of China, similar to the relationship between Hong Kong and Beijing, Chai said.
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