Chen, Sui-Bian, President of Taiwan urged to adopt appropriate name for Taiwan

RE: Chen, Sui-Bian, President of Taiwan urged to adopt appropriate name for Taiwan

WUFI-USA HQ　Sept 4, 2003

      
SOURCE: The World United Formosans for Independence-United States Headquarters
CONTACT: Dr. Jeff Tsay; jtsay3@comcast.net; (817)-275-6217

On September 3, 2003, Professor Bob Yang, Chairman of the World United Formosans for Independence-United States Headquarters (WUFI-USA) sent a letter to Mr. Chen Sui-Bian, President of Taiwan to urge the president to adopt an appropriate name for Taiwan. The letter recommended that the name, “Republic of Taiwan” be adopted.

Currently, the official name for Taiwan is the “Republic of China” (ROC). The letter points out several serious problems that the name has caused the island country. With “China” being a part of its name, it is easy for any ordinary people to confuse Taiwan with China. “It is unreasonable and unrealistic to expect the American public to differentiate the ‘Republic of China’ from the ‘People’s Republic of China,’” the letter indicates. It further points out that the United States officially recognizes only one China. Therefore, “…Conducting Taiwanese diplomatic activities in the name of the Republic of China is equivalent to giving free publicity to China. To insist that Taiwan is some type of China, such as the Republic of China, is tantamount to admitting that Taiwan is part of China.”

The letter further cites factual examples that the name “ROC” has caused the erosion of Taiwan’s sovereign status. “It is self-destructive for Taiwan to live under the name, Republic of China,” the letter warns.

The name, “Republic of China” was imposed on Taiwan when Chiang, Kai-Shek’s KMT regime occupied the island after fleeing from China in 1949. The island endured more than 40 years of martial law under the KMT regime but has recently evolved into a full-fledged democracy. There has been a growing sense of Taiwanese self-identity. In May of 2002, more than 20,000 rallied in Taipei to urge the government to change the official name for Taiwan. The rally symbolized the start of the name rectification movement for Taiwan. During the same year, WUFI-USA coordinated with a score of major Taiwanese-American organizations to collect more than 10,000 letters urging the Taiwanese government to change the name of its embassy-equivalent office in Washington DC from the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office” (TECRO) to the “Taiwan Representative office.” The letters and their copies were subsequently delivered to TECRO, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the President’s office.

Another name rectification rally that expects more than 100,000 people is planned for September 6, 2003. Dr. Yang’s letter will be presented in the rally to show solidarity of Taiwanese-Americans in the United States and their brethren in Taiwan.

APPENDIX: Professor Yang’s Letter to President Chen April 28, 2003

President Chen Shui-bian
Office of the President
No. 122, Sec. 1, Chung-King S. Rd.
Taipei
TAIWAN

Dear President Chen:

On behalf of the World United Formosans for Independence-U.S.A., I am writing to urge you to adopt an appropriate name for our beloved birthplace. I wish to recommend that you consider the name, Republic of Taiwan. The name, Republic of Taiwan, is altogether fitting and proper because it at once reflects the true nature of the politics, people and territory of the island nation. It is a name that people the world over can easily identify. It is a name that Taiwanese can be proud of.

You have stated that “Taiwan is not a part of, a local government of, or a province of any country. This is a fact of history.” Yet you continue to call Taiwan the Republic of China. Your website (http://www.president.gov.tw/) touts the accomplishments of the Republic of China. As you undoubtedly know, whenever the word “China” is used in the United States, the average American thinks of the People’s Republic of China. It is unreasonable and unrealistic to expect the American public to differentiate the “Republic of China” from the “People’s Republic of China”. Besides, the United States officially recognizes only one China – the People’s Republic of China. Conducting Taiwanese diplomatic activities in the name of the Republic of China is equivalent to giving free publicity to China. To insist that Taiwan is some type of China, such as the Republic of China, is tantamount to admitting that Taiwan is part of China.

The continuing use of the term, Republic of China, is eroding the status of Taiwan as a sovereign nation. A case in point is the subjugation of Taiwan under China by the Sister Cities International (http://www.sister-cities.org/sci/directory/Asia/China/index). Even the Department of State of the U.S. government has erroneously called Taiwan “China (Taiwan Only)” (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18240.htm). Taiwan is hardly in a position to protest because it calls itself a variation of China. It is self-destructive for Taiwan to live under the name, Republic of China.

President Chen, please stop masquerading as Chinese. It is high time that you stand up as a proud Taiwanese. I urge you to heed the call of the people of Taiwan by adopting “Republic of Taiwan” as the name of the country.

Sincerely yours,

Bob In-yu Yang, Chairman
World United Formosans for Independence-U.S.A.

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