Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) yesterday questioned the use of the “begonia” map in the armband insignia of some branches of the military.
The “begonia” map, so named because it resembles a begonia leaf, depicts an extended swath of pre-1949 Republic of China (ROC) territory, which notably includes Outer Mongolia.
Hsu said the use of the “begonia” map in the insignia symbolizes a “greater China mindset,” and urged the military to change it.
Graphic courtesy of the office of Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh
New insignia could use images symbolic of Taiwan, such as the Formosan black bear or the Taiwan blue magpie, Hsu said.
Hsu was speaking at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, suggesting a review of the stipulations in the Armed Forces Uniform Act (陸海空軍服制條例) and other relevant laws.
Hsu compared the issue to past discussions about the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) emblem, which has been said to closely resemble the national emblem, and is therefore no longer appropriate as Taiwan is no longer a one-party state.
Similarly, the military armband insignias do not reflect the current situation in Taiwan, he said.
Military insignias also do not need to incorporate the national emblem, he said, citing US military insignia, some of which do not use the bald eagle.
Army Lieutenant General Fang Mao-hung (房茂宏) said the use of the map in the insignia was in accordance with the national territory described in the ROC Constitution.
The map includes territory effectively under the government’s administration, as well as that constitutionally recognized, but not under the government’s administrative control, he said.
“The entire military is loyal to the nation, loyal to the Constitution and executes orders in accordance with the law. This must not be questioned,” he said.
Hsu asked why the insignia used by the Republic of China Marine Corps still uses the “begonia” map, despite being redesigned in April 2019.
Military insignia should not be bound to tradition, which would cause divisiveness, Hsu said.
He also cautioned against the use of the national emblem on the hats of military personnel, saying its resemblance to the KMT emblem could cause confusion.
“There is no problem with the military being loyal to the Republic of China, Taiwan. However, it should consider more neutral designs for emblems to avoid ideological problems,” he said.
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