Ma says we are ‘China, Taiwan’

Taipei Times: Aug 18, 2008

The delegation led by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on a state visit to the Dominican Republic — one of the nation’s allies — was referred to as “China, Taiwan” on embassy signs used to identify it. ...

“The title ‘China, Taiwan’ has nothing to do with political ideology ... For people in the Dominican Republic, when they say China, they are referring to our country.", said an official at Taiwan’s embassy.

When Dominican people say China, they mean Taiwan. Then what do they call the real China?

When an American, Italian, German or a Mexican read about 'China Times' and 'China Post', how likely will she or he know that these are actually Taiwan-based papers 中國時報 and 英文中國郵報?

Imagine for a moment we are in the LAX airport looking at long lines in front of the 'China Airline'. How many of the people there can know that 'China Airline' is the Taiwan-based 中華航空?

What is the effect of all these?

1. It reduces Taiwan's visibility in the world.
2. It purposely confuses the world about the clear distinction between Taiwan and China: that Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China, and that Taiwan is not part of China.
3. It continues its brainwashing of Taiwanese that they are Chinese. Taiwanese is not Chinese just as a cat is not a dog and a Chinese is not a Japanese.
   

What to do? I suggest that we sue Ma for treason.