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ChinaPolitics

Names and games: Taipei hits back over ‘China’ label, but will it pay off?

Taiwan retaliates against countries that have changed its name in official systems, but analysts and lawmakers warn measures could backfire

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Taiwan says it has adopted a strategy combining “flexibility and firmness” to resolve its naming dispute with South Korea. Photo: EPA
Lawrence Chungin Taipei
Taiwan has pushed back against a growing number of foreign governments that label it part of China in their internal systems. But questions are mounting over whether Taipei’s retaliatory moves can deliver results.
The dispute has widened in recent weeks after South Korea, Denmark and Cameroon were found to have changed how they designate the island in official systems, such as those that handle visa documents, residence permits and international conference credentials.

Taipei has responded with a mix of symbolic and practical countermeasures.

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These include relabelling “Korea” as “South Korea” in official documents, restricting privileges for staff at Denmark’s representative office in Taiwan, and boycotting a World Trade Organization ministerial meeting hosted by Cameroon.

But analysts and lawmakers said the effectiveness of such steps remained uncertain as most governments recognised Beijing diplomatically.

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At the centre of the latest controversy is South Korea’s electronic arrival card system, which has listed the island as “China (Taiwan)” since February last year.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on March 19 that Taipei had adopted a strategy combining “flexibility and firmness” that aimed to resolve the issue through dialogue while keeping countermeasures in reserve.

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