About 20 people yesterday gathered in front of the Taipei City Hall protesting the Taipei City Government's unilateral adoption of the Hanyu Pinyin system for English signs in MRT stations, including the lines passing through Taipei County.
Since last November, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (台北捷運公司) systematically changed the English signs in MRT stations from the Wade-Giles system to Hanyu Pinyin, the romanization system for Mandarin used in China.
After the corporation changed the signs, the spelling of 48 out of 60 MRT station names was altered, for instance, from Hsimen to Ximen, from Tamshui to Danshui, and from Chunghsiao Fuhsing to Zhongxiao Fuxing. The change cost about NT$17 million, according to Taipei's bureau of transportation.
One of the protesters, Lee Shang-shien (李尚賢), president of the Taiwan Lily Culture Association, an organization promoting Taiwan's local culture, said that the Taipei City Government unilaterally overrode the Tongyong Pinyin system that the central government adopted in October 2002.
Taipei changed all the English signs without consulting the Taipei County Government, which showed disrespect for the county government's decisions, he said.
"The situation that English signs in Taiwan show inconsistent romanization, with most places using Tongyong Pinyin but some using Hanyu Pinyin, boils down to virtually `one China, two systems,'" he said.
Lee said that the city government's excuse that Hanyu Pinyin is the romanization system designated by the UN is not correct.
"I don't understand why Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) insisted to adopt Hanyu Pinyin, which is used in China, even though the central government made its policy on the use of Tongyong Pinyin clear," Lee said.
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