July 14, 2008
Taiwan protests China's move to change its Olympic name
Despite both China and Taiwan having agreed way back in 1989 that the latter would compete at the Olympics under the name "Chinese Taipei" and “Zhonghua Taipei" (中华台北) as the designated Chinese translation of that term, spokesman Yang Yi of China's Taiwan Affairs Office has suggested that "Zhongguo Taipei" (中国台北) is just as valid as an Olympic designator, sparking a protest from Taipei's Mainland Affairs Council because the name implies that Taiwan is a part of China ("Zhonghua" refers to an undefined Chinese nation). Oh yes, let the Games begin. And no prizes for guessing which term you will hear more of in August. [Source]
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And who can blame Taiwan, who would want to be a part of the world's largest landfill aka China?
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Republic of China...hmmm...
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Republic of CHINA...or so it says the country name is called... hmmm...
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Once again, its English name is Republic of China but its Chinese name is "Zhonghua Minguo" not Zhongguo.
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None of your English/Chinese country name comments matter. China agreed to the same name that Taiwan did in 1989. The agreement specified the Chinese name that Taiwan was to use in the games. Under the agreement, the name was Zhonghua Taibei. Therefore, the name, in any press, should be Zhonghua Taibei.
If China can go against even this simple agreement, then what other agreements can it go against?
What Yang Yi is doing is allowing the domestic press to say what they want while the organisers keep the name of Taiwan's team as Zhonghua Taipei at Olympic venues. It is a way to keep the masses happy while attempting to look blameless.
If China were serious about not allowing politics to enter into the Olympics, then this would never be an issue. The propaganda dept would order the local media to use the agreed-upon name. Yang Yi's comment is a cheap political pot shot.
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I just wonder why as many as 1.2 millions Taiwanese prefer living under "demon commie" rule, while cursing mainland each day.