What is the raison d'etre of the government? Is it to appease the PRC or to serve its own citizens? If the answer is clear, then we can simply ignore what Beijing thinks about the government's plan to add the word "Taiwan" to the cover of ROC passports. It is -- to use one of Beijing's favorite phrases -- an internal affair.
As long as the people think the addition of the word "Taiwan" to their passports will help them when traveling then no party or lawmaker who loves this country should oppose the proposal.
There have been many reports over the years from the government's representative offices overseas as well as first-hand accounts about Taiwanese unhappy that customs and immigration officials in other countries have mistakenly thought that they were from the PRC -- and consequently eyed them with suspicion that is usually accorded citizens of that country. The most recent example took place in Germany, where several Taiwanese were humiliated by local officials who thought they were PRC nationals. The government cannot allow such incidents to continue -- especially as the problem is so easily remedied.
Beijing is sure to launch another media offensive against the plan, condemning the government for pushing "Taiwan independence." But there is no reason to pay any attention to whatever vitriol that may come from the Chinese Communist Party.
There is equally no reason to heed complaints from those political parties and lawmakers who voice China's viewpoint by accusing the foreign ministry of trying to stir up domestic turmoil and increase cross-strait tensions. For example, KMT legislative caucus leader Liu Cheng-hung (
It's hard to understand why the opposition parties and pro-unification people dislike such a well-crafted proposal. The fact that the government does not plan to eliminate "Republic of China" from the passport shows it is listening to public opinion. If adding "Taiwan" will make travel more convenient for Taiwanese -- and at the same time satisfy the pro-independence camp -- why oppose it.
This appears to be an arrangement that should keep everyone happy. Nevertheless, whether the proposal will gain approval from the opposition-dominated legislature is still a question open to debate.
Putting "Taiwan" on passports simply reflects the fact that the ROC is based in Taiwan -- a fact long trumpeted by the former KMT government. It will also allow this country to be more clearly differentiated from China. Such a measure will help people in this global village clearly see the impressive political, economic and cultural achievements of an independent Taiwan. This will give the public more dignity and self-confidence in the international community, while at the same time preventing damage to the nation's dignity.
If the opposition ignores public opinion and blocks legislative approval, then the electorate should respond accordingly when they go to the polls for next year's presidential election.
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
If you had a vision of the future where China did not dominate the global car industry, you can kiss those dreams goodbye. That is because US President Donald Trump’s promised 25 percent tariff on auto imports takes an ax to the only bits of the emerging electric vehicle (EV) supply chain that are not already dominated by Beijing. The biggest losers when the levies take effect this week would be Japan and South Korea. They account for one-third of the cars imported into the US, and as much as two-thirds of those imported from outside North America. (Mexico and Canada, while
I have heard people equate the government’s stance on resisting forced unification with China or the conditional reinstatement of the military court system with the rise of the Nazis before World War II. The comparison is absurd. There is no meaningful parallel between the government and Nazi Germany, nor does such a mindset exist within the general public in Taiwan. It is important to remember that the German public bore some responsibility for the horrors of the Holocaust. Post-World War II Germany’s transitional justice efforts were rooted in a national reckoning and introspection. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps not