Civil groups on Wednesday urged the government to stop using “Chinese Taipei” and the “Republic of China” to refer to the nation, saying it gives the impression that Taiwan is part of China.
An image of national baseball team captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) gesturing to the absence of the country’s name on his jersey after hitting a three-run homer in their 4-0 victory over Japan to win the Premier12 championship on Sunday has gone viral, sparking discussion of Taiwan’s naming in international events.
“This is very sad, and a strong declaration to the world that players are representing Taiwan,” Southern Taiwan Society chairman Weng Ming-jang (翁銘章) said about Chen’s gesture.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“The government must take the initiative to start this rectification drive,” Weng told a news conference in Taipei.
Many international media outlets, such as those in the US, Japan and South Korea, have used “Taiwan” when speaking about the national squad at major sports competitions, Weng said.
“Now our baseball stars have brought glory to the nation, which still does not have a proper name,” Taiwan Society of Law and Medicine director Lo Chun-hsuan (羅浚晅) said.
It was a mistake to agree to the name Chinese Taipei, as it does not represent Taiwan, Lo said.
The government should take the opportunity posed by the Premier12 victory to launch a movement to apply for official use of the name Taiwan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, as the qualifying round is to begin in February next year, Koo Kwang-ming Memorial Foundation director Lin Yi-cheng (林宜正) said.
“Taiwan is the common, recognized name for our country. Calling ourselves Taiwan can resonate among international audiences. It would also raise Taiwan’s profile on the world stage,” Peng Ming-min Foundation board member Yang Huang Maysing (楊黃美幸) said.
“We encourage Taiwanese corporations to demand that Taiwan’s national squads and athletes use the name Taiwan when donating money for sports causes,” she added.
It was political pressure from China in 1981, when Taiwan registered to participate in the Olympics and other sports competitions, that forced the government to accept the name Chinese Taipei, she said.
It was a political compromise that did not reflect Taiwan’s sovereignty, she added.
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