Following a US diplomatic faux pas in which Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) was referred to as “President Xi of the Republic of China,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has been using both “the Republic of China (ROC)” and “Taiwan” alternatively as the nation’s name since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office.
A White House transcript of US President Donald Trump’s public remarks with Xi in Hamburg, Germany, was released — before the two men met on the sidelines of the G20 summit — by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, referring to Xi as the president of the Republic of China.
The White House did not immediately comment on the diplomatic blunder, but it later corrected Xi’s title to “President Xi of China” without issuing a notice of retraction.
Photo: CNA
Since Tsai took office, the ministry said it has begun calling foreign dignitaries’ visits to Taiwan in its news releases as “fang tai” (訪台) — which means visiting Taiwan — instead of “fang hua” (訪華), which mean visiting Zhonghua Minguo (中華民國), the ROC.
The Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee last year advised the ministry to make as many references to Taiwan as possible in its communications with foreign governments to help counter China’s claims that Taiwan belongs to it.
At the time, the ministry responded positively, saying that it did not foresee any obstacles to implementing the policy and that it would do so when circumstances permit.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) yesterday said the ministry’s policy favoring the use of the name Taiwan in communications is appropriate, as Taiwan is a “neutral geographic term.”
“As proven by the fact that polls show more than half of the nation’s population agrees that ‘Taiwan’ should someday replace ‘the Republic of China’ as the name of the nation, Taiwanese identify with their land far more than with the fictitious ROC. This issue is separate from declaring a ‘Republic of Taiwan,’ and it will prevent foreign allies from confusing us with China,” the lawmaker said.
In related news, DPP Tainan City Councilor Lee Wen-cheng (李文正) yesterday said the continued use of the term “China” as part of the nation’s name can foster confusion with the People’s Republic of China.
Members of the public had complained that the Web site of Malaysia’s national railways company, KTM, identifies Taiwan as “Province of Taiwan” and “Taiwan, Province of China,” while Hong Kong is identified simply as “Hong Kong.”
It is saddening that the nation’s foreign affairs officials are idle at their posts while collecting their salaries, he said.
The public must understand that Taiwan’s sovereignty “will not fall from the heavens into our laps or be granted through Chinese charity,” he said, adding that he would call on Malaysia’s representative office to urge the Web site be corrected.
The ministry last night said that it had ordered its representative office in Kuala Lumpur to demand that the Malaysian Ministry of Transport make corrections.
“As long as Taiwan uses the name ‘Republic of China,’ we will be associated with China. China does not care how much goodwill we show to it, because it can tell the world that Taiwan is its province, as seen with KTM. For Taiwan to be respected, the fundamental solution is to tell the world that the nation is not part of the ROC or China, without ambiguity,” Tsai said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old