The decision to add the words "Issued in Taiwan" to the cover of new ROC passports does not violate general international practice, said a senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs official yesterday.
Chan Hsien-ching (詹憲卿), director-general of the ministry's Bureau of Consular Affairs, said Taiwan will become the world's only country to print "Issued in" on its passport cover when the new format is put into practice in November.
"Nevertheless, it will not violate any general international practice. The move marks an example of the Republic of China exercising its legitimate rights as a sovereign state," Chan said.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
The words will be placed alongside the country's formal designation, "Republic of China."
Chan said the ministry had completed extensive research on passport formats available in the international community before finalizing its passport reform project.
"We discovered that it's not uncommon to add footnotes to passport covers. The general rule was to keep national titles and emblems intact while adding various kinds of footnotes," Chan said.
For instance, the UK has added the phrase "British Passport" to the cover of its passports since it joined the 15-member EU to signify that the holders are Britons living in the EU.
"The phrase `British Passport' is printed under the title of `European Union' on the cover," Chan said.
Chan also noted that the word "Taiwan" in Roman script to be added to the new passport cover would refer to the "Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" areas.
Chan also said the issuing authority to be identified in the inside page of the new passports will read "the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Republic of China."
* The Ministry of Foreign Affairs insists that adding the words ``Issued in Taiwan'' to ROC passports is not in violation of international practice.
* The words will be placed at the bottom of the nation's passport covers, underneath Taiwan's official title, ``Republic of China.''
* The ministry said that it is not uncommon for countries to add ``footnotes'' to their passport covers.
* One such example is the UK, which has added the phrase ``British passport'' to its passport covers since it joined the 15-member EU to signify the holders are Britons.
* China has denounced the move as a step toward independence, while opinion polls suggest a majority of Taiwanese support the move.
According to the current practice, the issuing authority also includes the ROC's various embassies and representative offices abroad.
Chan said the new passport reform was to make ROC passport holders distinguishable from their counterparts from China.
President Chen Shui-bian (
China yesterday slammed Chen's decision, referring it as a move inching toward independence.
"Any attempt to split from the motherland, in whatever form, will be met with opposition from the whole Chinese people, including those in Taiwan," said Sun Yuxi (
"Any attempt to move toward independence for Taiwan is doomed to fail," Sun said.
Chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council Tsai Ing-wen (
"This is probably a wrong interpretation of the whole event," Tsai said.
Quoting the results of three latest opinion polls, Lo Chih-cheng (
A survey conducted by the ministry in November, for instance, showed that the percentages of proponents to opponents were 60.5 percent versus 14.8 percent.
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