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Love and Chunghwa Post overcome plot by communist China

Acting Taipei County Commissioner Lin Si-yao, second right, and other guests congratulate Yang Chih-yuan -- a junior-high school student in Panchiao -- as the Chunghwa Post Co issued stamps featuring his painting on the International Day of Peace yesterday. PHOTO: HO YU-HUA, TAIPEI TIMES

On International Day of Peace yesterday, the Chunghwa Post Co issued stamps featuring a young boy's painting that was at the center of a heart-wrenching tale of international intrigue and postal services.

The painting was disqualified from becoming a commemorative peace stamp issued by the UN because, it is thought, of China's objections. But like a philatelical phoenix, rising from the ashes of the young boy's shattered dreams, the painting has been resurrected in a series of 1 million NT$15 stamps, available at your local post office.

It is the first design by a student to be published as a stamp in Taiwan. In the past, only the works of established artists have been used.

Expressing his personal displeasure with the UN's handling of the matter, acting Taipei County Commissioner Lin Si-yao (林錫耀) yesterday called on the public to lodge their protests with the UN via post or e-mail. Points of contact for the UN were not provided.

"While the national flag in the boy's drawing takes up less than 0.01cm2 on the stamp, Beijing made such an audacious effort to thwart a teenage boy's dream and suppress our international space," Lin said. "I'm calling on the public to recognize Beijing's bullying behavior and express their discontent to the UN."

However, the 15-year-old Yang Chih-yuan (楊智淵) yesterday said that he was not at all bothered by China's diplomatic machinations, and that he would continue to paint.

"I would still have put the national flag in my painting, even if I had known previously it would anger China," he said. "It's purely an artistic creation, and I don't see that there is anything wrong for me, a Taiwanese citizen, to paint the flag of my country in my work."

Local media reported that Yang's painting had been selected by the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) to be issued as a commemorative stamp on International Day of Peace, but was disqualified following objections from China.

China's protest was reportedly triggered by the inclusion of Taiwan's national flag in the boy's design. Yang said that his painting was inspired by the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.

Following the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement criticizing China's apparent intervention. The Presidential Office also suggested that Yang's design be issued as a stamp.

The UNPA, however, dismissed the allegation that it had succumbed to pressure from Beijing to abandon Yang's design that was thought to have been selected for printing in a competition to create a special postage stamp.

It cited "an internal misunderstanding and miscommunication" as the "actual" reason leading to Yang's printed proof being publicized as one of the final six stamps to be issued.
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