The ludicrousness of this story is exemplified in the above headline, taken from Yahoo! News. Taiwan isn’t moving to alter its name — it simply wants to call itself Taiwan.
The United States said it is against moves by Taiwan to drop any references to China in its official name, warning it would disrupt the status quo in delicate cross strait relations.
“Our view on that is that, frankly, we’re not supportive of them,” State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said.
Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian pledged at the weekend to push for increased use of “Taiwan,” rather than the island’s official designation of Republic of China (ROC).
His move to alter the names of Taiwan’s missions abroad and state-run enterprises is sure to rile Beijing.
China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, even though the two sides have been governed separately since the defeated nationalists fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war with the communists on the mainland.
“These changes of terminology for government-controlled enterprises or economic and cultural offices abroad, in our view, would appear to unilaterally change Taiwan’s status and for that reason we’re not supportive of them,” Ereli said.
China has vowed to reunify with Taiwan, by force if necessary, and opposes its entry to any world body as a country. Taiwan is forced to use the name “Chinese Taipei” in most international organisations and sports meetings.
Ereli said the United States wanted to maintain stability in China-Taiwan relations.
“That’s what we want to see,” he said. “And we are, therefore, opposed to any unilateral steps that would change the status quo.”
And just what is that status quo that is so honky-dory that it must be maintained? Just this little mental exercise we’ve wrestled with for decades:
The United States recognises China’s position that Taiwan is part of China but is bound by law to offer democratic Taiwan the means of self-defence if its security is threatened.
Washington remains the leading arms supplier to Taiwan even though it moved diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Look, we all know that the two Chinas have long since become two different countries. Sure, they may be reunited someday, just like Hall and Oates may get back together and start churning out new hits. However, we should face the current reality. We’ve realized two separate nations with North and South Korea. We understood the distinction between East and West Germany. We’ve even put up with that crap from the Carolinas, Dakotas and Virginias.
Taiwan, by every definition short of recognition, is already its own country. It’s time we stop saying “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” to one of our strongest allies in the region.
Comments
One response to “US Against Moves to Alter Taiwan’s Name”
Well, the reason why the US wants to maintain a One China policy is to discourage war. China will invade Taiwan if it decides to budge any further towards total political independence.
You pointed out that East/West Germany was accepted to be two Germanys, but they both wanted it that way.
China wants Taiwan under its political control, while only 51% of Taiwan wants total political freedom.
I have to agree with current US policy in enforcing status quo and military protection of Taiwan. This creates a China which has no true excuse to launch war, keeps Taiwan free enough to support the US tech industry, and still limits the power of China from becoming even more industrially mighty.