46 Taiwanese associations issue joint statement expressing concern over being mistaken as Chinese nationals
Taiwan News
Date: 2020/04/16
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Taiwanese overseas urge government to remove “Republic of China” from the country’s passport. (CNA photo)
In an effort to prevent Taiwanese from being mistaken as Chinese nationals, 46 Taiwanese groups from abroad issued a joint statement Wednesday and requested the government use "Taiwan" as the only English name on the country's passport. Among the groups were the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations, the Taiwanese Association of America, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, the European Federation of Taiwan Health Alliance, as well as Taiwanese associations from Germany, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, and Canada.
The statement pointed out that the term "Republic of China" has caused troubles for many Taiwanese, since it often confuses foreign immigration officers who are unfamiliar with the island nation or its cross-strait relations. It added that the term creates a false impression of the Taiwanese population and damages its interests.
The statement noted that several Taiwanese overseas have encountered problems applying for visas and immigration documents due to the nation's ambiguous English name, with many being listed as citizens of the People's Republic of China. It emphasized that there have been incidents of Taiwanese being denied entry into different countries despite their visa-free agreements with the island nation. [FULL STORY]
