The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday last week announced that starting in May, Taiwanese residing in Japan could write “Taiwan” in the nationality column of household registry application forms and would no longer be forced to record their nationality as “Chinese.” Meanwhile, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services are upholding their policy of allowing Taiwan-born US citizens to write “Taiwan” on official documents; not “China Taiwan” or other names that do not accord with Taiwan’s reality. These policy changes not only reflect the international community’s respect toward the recognition of Taiwanese identity, but also show the elevation of Taiwan’s global importance.
Taiwan has a democratic electoral system, an independent government body, strong economic development, and unique culture and history. These factors allow Taiwan to have an unignorable existence in the international community. However, Taiwan has long faced political pressure from China, which has forced international organizations and other nations to adopt vague or even restrictive approaches toward Taiwan in formal and official documents. To that end, Japan’s and the US’ policy corrections are a far truer reflection of Taiwan’s reality and a big step in consolidating the nation’s place as a true member of the international community. The changes are by no means a single development, but a reflection of a changing global attitude toward our nation. Over the past few years, many European countries have issued official notices to use the name “Taiwan” and not “Taiwan, China,” “China, Taiwan” or other similar misnomers. Lithuania went further by allowing Taiwan to change the name of its de facto embassy in Vilnius to “Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania.” These positive trends show that despite China’s use of suppression around the globe, countries are increasingly willing to respect Taiwan’s identity.
National identity has long been a point of discussion in Taiwan. Surveys show that Taiwanese increasingly recognize themselves solely as “Taiwanese,” not “Chinese” or both. That mutually echoes the international community’s trend of recognizing Taiwan. When foreign governments in their official documents acknowledge the name “Taiwan,” it has a massive significance for national recognition and helps establish a stronger internal consensus on identity. The change does not stop at the personal level, but also impacts entrepreneurial and other international exchanges: When Taiwanese businesses register overseas, using the name “Taiwan” would certainly help raise awareness of their brand name. Taiwanese who study or immigrate abroad, or who marry foreigners, can use “Taiwan” on their household registry or official documents. That is an important guarantee of national identity and legal rights.
Many countries in the past took vague stances on Taiwan’s official name to avoid angering China. However, when major world economies such as Japan and the US start respecting the choices of Taiwanese, it has a demonstrable effect on other nations. In the future, countries in Europe, Southeast Asia and perhaps even international organizations might be brought along by this trend and correct their naming methods regarding Taiwan. It is also a clear indication to our government that it should actively seek more global support. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as our consular offices and diplomatic outfits overseas, could use those policy changes to advance and promote Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and to properly guarantee the rights and identities of Taiwanese overseas.
Edwin Yang is an associate professor at National Taiwan Normal University and chairman of the Central Taiwan Association of University Professors.
Translated by Tim Smith
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) has long wielded influence through the power of words. Her articles once served as a moral compass for a society in transition. However, as her April 1 guest article in the New York Times, “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan,” makes all too clear, even celebrated prose can mislead when romanticism clouds political judgement. Lung crafts a narrative that is less an analysis of Taiwan’s geopolitical reality than an exercise in wistful nostalgia. As political scientists and international relations academics, we believe it is crucial to correct the misconceptions embedded in her article,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
RSS