Fed up with the confusion with China, Taiwan will change passports

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Fed up with misunderstandings for China amid a coronavirus epidemic and Beijing’s efforts to maintain sovereignty, Taiwan said Wednesday it would redesign its passport to make the island’s name more famous.

Taiwan complained during the outbreak that its citizens had problems entering other countries because the Taiwanese passport had the word “Republic of China” in it, with the official name, written in large English font at the top, and printed on Taiwan. .

The new passport, expected to go into circulation in January, will remove the large English words “Republic of China”, however, will have the name in Chinese characters, and enlarge the word “Taiwan” in English.

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said his citizens needed new passports to prevent Chinese nationals from being mistaken, especially since the epidemic began, with many countries launching entry checks.

“Since the outbreak of Wuhan pneumonia this year, our people have hoped that we will be able to give more importance to Taiwan’s visibility, and people will mistakenly think they are Chinese,” Wu told reporters.

China democratically claims Taiwan as its sovereign territory, and says it only has the right to speak internationally for the island, especially in the World Health Organization, which it has strongly pushed during the epidemic.

Taipei says this has confused countries and led them to impose the same restrictions on Taiwanese tourists as the Chinese, and has reduced Taiwan’s own successful efforts to control the virus and fewer cases.

Taiwan has been debating for years who it is and its relationship with China – exactly what the island’s name includes. But epidemics have turned the issue back on the spotlight.

The government is also considering renaming Taiwan’s largest carrier, China Airlines (or at least a complete redesign).2610.TW), Again to avoid confusion with China.