Passport debate: Even Chen's allies are griping about the wording

Pro-independence organizations yesterday complained that the addition of the English phrase "Issued in Taiwan" to ROC passports would serve only to enhance the impression abroad that Taiwan is part of China.

They also attacked opposition parties for objecting to any change incorporating the use of the word "Taiwan" in roman script.

Eight associations, including the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), the World United Formosans for Independence (台獨聯盟), Taiwan Association of University Professors (台教會) and the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan (PCT, 台灣基督長老教會), held a joint press conference expressing their disappointment with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over its planned inclusion of the words.

Lo Jung Kuang (羅榮光), of the PCT, summed up the organizations' objections, saying that the phrase "Issued in Taiwan" would serve only to enhance the impression overseas that Taiwan is a province of China. He said the ministry's action was more damaging than if it hadn't done anything at all.

FAPA President Wu Ming-chi (吳明基) said, "We appreciate President Chen's good faith on this policy, but we don't think "Issued in" are the right words to add to our passports."

Wu said, however, that the organizations' favored option of adding only "Taiwan" in roman script to the passports would make travel more convenient and that he didn't understand why the media and opposition parties emphasized the ideological implications of such a move.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) officially announced Sunday that the name "Taiwan" would appear on the new passports.

But pro-independence organizations and the DPP objected when a draft of the passport's new design containing the wording "Issued in Taiwan" was released by the ministry before being submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval.

Besides criticizing the ministry, pro-independence organizations also criticized the opposition parties' attempts to prevent the addition of the name "Taiwan" to the passports.

"The opposition parties seem to be scared of the word "Taiwan." The name of our motherland is Taiwan. Why can't we use "Taiwan" as the formal name of our country?" Lo said.

Opposition parties have charged that the move is tantamount to a step toward independence.