President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday, after been sworn in as the 16th chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said in a speech that the DPP’s governing style on her watch would be “passionate, but not fanatically zealot. Calm, but not aloof.”
She said that the public hopes to see a governing party that “is not just yet another Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT], nor even that of the last DPP governing party,” challenging the DPP to be a different kind of government that could make a difference in Taiwan.
However, actions speak louder than words.
Given the performance of Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延) at this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, many cannot help but wonder how the Tsai administration differs from the former KMT administration under her predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), when it comes to asserting the nation’s dignity on the international front?
Lin used “Chinese Taipei” rather than “Taiwan” throughout his five-minute speech at the WHA on Wednesday and after his return home on Friday, Tsai meet with Lin and declared she was satisfied with his delegation’s performance.
“It was the first diplomatic battle since [our] new government came in” she said, as she praised the delegation for having completed its task.
However, Lin’s failure to say Taiwan’s name in his WHA speech creates more than just mere disappointment, it raises doubt over whether the Tsai administration has the determination it takes to uphold Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Some might be quick to argue that Lin did nothing wrong, that it was a necessary concession to refer to Taiwan as “Chinese Taipei” since that is what Taiwan has been called at the WHA since 2009. Some might also come to the government’s defense by calling for more patience, adding that an uncomfortable compromise is needed so Taiwan does not ruffle Beijing’s feathers too soon.
However, being patient and making “uncomfortable compromises” does not mean self-censorship by Taiwanese officials.
How often does Taiwan, as a result of Beijing’s tactics — overt or clandestine to suppress Taiwan’s international visibility — get to stand before an international audience? The one chance Taiwan was given to take to the podium at an international event and Taiwanese officials cannot even call Taiwan by its name, but degrade the nation with such a demeaning and geographically incorrect title.
Lin said he had also delivered a letter to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍) conveying Taiwan’s protest over the WHA’s late invitation this year, as well as reiterating Taiwan’s participation, has nothing to do with politics or the “one China” principle.
While the protest was a matter of course to make Taiwan’s stance known, it has to be asked, why did Lin choose to deliver the letter privately, as opposed to making Taiwan’s protest known by holding an news conference on the sidelines of the WHA?
In light of Lin’s actions in Geneva, some might view the Tsai administration as exercising prudence and playing it safe, and say that those bringing up the name matter risk inciting cross-strait tension. However, that is exactly the sort of silence and passivity that would allow Beijing to shape a global impression that downgrades Taiwan’s sovereignty through the seemingly harmless practice of calling Taiwan “Chinese Taipei.”
If the Tsai administration’s so-called “status quo” means maintaining the name “Chinese Taipei” on the world stage, then how is it any better than the way Ma government failed to assert Taiwan’s national identity and dignity as a sovereign nation?
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