‘TAIWAN’: The campaign nearly doubled the required number of signatures to qualify for the referendum to change the national sports team’s name in 2020
Taipei Times
Date: Sep 04, 2018
By: Ann Maxon / Staff reporter
Civic groups yesterday delivered to the Central Election Commission more than 520,000
Olympic bronze medalist and National Policy Adviser to the President Chi Cheng, back row seventh left, and civic groups yesterday hold a news conference outside the Central Election Commission in Taipei as they deliver 526,688 signatures for a referendum proposal to change the national Olympic team’s name from “Chinese Taipei” to “Taiwan.” Photo: CNA
signatures collected for a referendum proposal to change the national sports team’s name from “Chinese Taipei” to “Taiwan” for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At a news conference in front of the commission headquarters, Olympic medalist and campaign spokeswoman Chi Cheng (紀政) thanked supporters for helping them reach the threshold of 281,745 signatures and urged people to vote on the referendum, which is to take place alongside the nine-in-one local elections in November.
The proposal, which garnered 526,688 signatures, is the seventh proposal to have reached the threshold this year. Nine referendums are expected to be held on Nov. 24, including two proposals on promoting gender equality that are expected to be submitted to the commission this week.
“Taiwan has great athletes, but we do not have a great brand. While the name ‘Taiwan’ is widely used, less than 1 percent use the name ‘Chinese Taipei.’ Great athletes deserve to represent a great name,” Control Yuan member Peter Chang (張武修) said, adding that the referendum would give Taiwanese the right to vote on their own “brand name.”
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