The “Chinese Taipei” proposal might not be as efficient as previous bids when it comes to the issue of the country’s dignity, but Taiwan might be able to “inch forward” toward its goal, Lin said.
Lin said that before the March 22 presidential election, he had been informed by US specialists visiting Taipei on their way back from Beijing that China would allow Taiwan’s attendance in international organizations that do not require statehood.
It was inappropriate for Ma to reveal the “Chinese Taipei” proposal if he didn’t get China to agree to it in advance, as it might result in a degrading of the nation’s status, Lin said.
Ruan Ming (阮銘), a consultant at the Taiwan Research Institute, questioned the likelihood that Beijing would compromise its “one China” principle for the sake of the Ma administration.
“Whether Taiwan uses ‘Chinese Taipei’ or ‘China Taipei,’ to Beijing’s ears they both sound like ‘two Chinas,’ which goes against its ‘one China’ principle,” Ruan said.
Taiwan would have been accepted by the WHA under the previous KMT government or in 2005 and 2006 when Taiwan made its bid to gain observer status as a “health entity” in the WHA, Ruan said.
“When the ‘Chinese Taipei’ bid is officially formulated by the Ma administration, or when it fails again at the WHA, it will do great damage to Taiwan’s national identity,” Ruan said.
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