Facing up to reality
A series of articles appeared on your Web site addressing Taiwan's recent rejection from participating in the World Health Organization as an observer. In almost all of these articles, you use "Taiwan" as the name of the country.
But, as we all know, the official name of Taiwan is still the Republic of China (ROC), which implies a "two China" policy that is not accepted under the UN's rules. Thus the reason for rejection is quite obvious -- it is the name, which violates the "one China" policy.
Yet I was startled to learn that politicians, academics and historians, not just KMT members, have continued to refuse to accept the "one China" principle, by calling it a political fiction (Seminar reviews Geneva mistakes, May 26, page 3).
Since the ROC quit the UN in 1971, the "one China" policy has been accepted by the world, and that "one China" means the PRC. Taiwan should accept reality and abandon the nation's official name, which exists only in history books. Taiwan is a sovereign country, and it can hold a plebiscite on a name change, which is long overdue.
I hope politicians, educators and historians will stop misleading the people into believing that the ROC is still their country's name and be brave enough to support a referendum law to allow for a ballot on changing the nation's name (TSU presses for referendum law on nation's name, May 28, page 3).
Otherwise, no matter how many times and how hard you try to enter the international area, the government and its people will continue to bump into the Great Wall of China.
Kris Liao
San Francisco, California
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