Taiwan’s official name omitted from Double Tenth logo, sparks criticism: Report

The Taiwan government’s new logo to mark the upcoming Double Tenth holiday unveiled last week has sparked a debate amid rumours that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) may try to change the self-governing island’s official name, the Republic of China, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP), on Sunday (September 10). 

The speculations and supposed move could provoke Beijing which has ramped up military and political pressure on Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty and reiterated calls for reunification with the self-governing island.

Last week, organisers of this year’s Double Tenth celebrations which will take place on October 10 revealed the logo which features two “10” characters and its slogan in Chinese reads: “Democratic Taiwan, resilience and sustainability,” as per the SCMP. While the words in English underneath read: “2023 Taiwan National Day”. 

However, none of the versions mentions the Republic of China, which has drawn criticism from the Beijing-friendly main opposition Kuomintang party. 

The day, for which the logo was unveiled, marks the beginning of the 1911 revolution that led to the fall of the Qing dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China, which is celebrated in Taiwan every year since Nationalists were defeated by the Communists in the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and fled to the island. 

“The ROC national day celebration is a very important event and it is absurd for the government to do away with the ROC title on this occasion,” said Lin Te-fu, former deputy secretary general of the Kuomintang party, as quoted by the SCMP. 

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Taiwan People’s Party caucus in the legislature suggested that the English be amended to “ROC (Taiwan) National Day” after saying it gives an impression that the DPP government is pushing for the independence of the island. 

Others have perceived the move as a “gimmick to sway votes” in favour of Vice-President William Lai Ching-te and the DPP’s candidate for the upcoming presidential elections which are set to take place in January 2024. 

“The ruling party is switching back and forth in using that reference, sometimes calling it Taiwan and other times ROC – strictly depending on what it wants to achieve,” said the head of the pro-independence Formosa Alliance Kuo Pei-hung, as quoted by SCMP. 

A day after the logo was released, Hua Ching-chun, deputy interior minister, said that they have used ROC “in front of the general title of the entire event. So there is nothing to worry about and no political action either”. 

Additionally, Vice-Premier Cheng Wen-tsan said that a “different presentation” of the island’s name “no way changes the fact that we are the ROC government”.

Beijing continues to maintain its military and political pressure for democratically-elected Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty and reiterated calls for reunification with the self-governing island.

The People’s Liberation Army has intensified military activity near the island, particularly after then-United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei which Beijing perceived as a violation of its sovereignty.
 

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.