The Web site of Harvard University’s Office of International Education has come under local scrutiny after it was reported that Taipei is listed as a city in China on the page.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily reported that it was tipped off to the site’s labeling of the capital as “China, Taipei” by an overseas student identified only as Bryce.
Bryce told the Apple Daily that he would expect President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), an alumnus of the university, to voice his protest against the classification on the Web site, which he said harms the nation’s status on the world stage.
Photo: Alison Hsiao, Taipei Times
Although the section of the Web page listing options for “term-time programs” abroad groups Taipei with other Chinese cities, as well as Hong Kong — which is referred to as “China, Hong Kong” — “Taiwan” is listed as a country in the section where users can browse the programs by country.
In addition, two Taiwanese language institutions that appear on the site under the category of “Non-Harvard Summer Programs” offering summer courses — National Taiwan Normal University’s Mandarin Training Center and National Taiwan University’s International Chinese Language Program — are listed as based in “Taiwan, Taipei.”
However, the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Taipei is listed as “China, Taipei.”
The non-governmental, non-profit group is based in the US, but has offices in many places, including Taipei, where it offers an Intensive Chinese Language and Culture course.
CIEE Taipei yesterday said that it is usually listed under “Taiwan” next to "Thailand" as one of the organization’s branches in the Asia-Pacific region, while its Chinese branches are listed as being in Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai, but not Taiwan.
It said it has no idea why Harvard University has listed it under “China, Taipei.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Anna Kao (高安) yesterday said the ministry is highly concerned about the matter and has asked related overseas offices to express their concerns and demand a correction.
The government is unyielding in defending the country’s dignity, but will handle issues relating to “inappropriate appellations” carefully, she stressed.
“We are also calling on our nationals to assist by informing the ministry immediately whenever such mistakes are found or file complaints to those institutions directly,” Kao said, adding that there have been plenty of successful results achieved by the joint efforts between the government and the public.
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