Updated Friday, February 22, 2008 0:00 am TWN, By Jean C. Wen, Special to The China Post

Changing ‘ROC’ to ‘Taiwan’ in U.N. bid will be detrimental

When the government of Taiwan proposes to change its name to “Taiwan” it essentially proclaims itself the island of Taiwan, a province of China. It thus “demotes” its international legal status. It therefore undermines any claim of legitimacy, and becomes comparable to if the Chinese province of Guangdong decided to apply for U.N. membership as “Guangdong.” This is a ridiculous proposition, and is no different from “Taiwan” applying to the U.N. The distinction must be recognized — whether the Republic of China is entitled to international recognition or not is an arguable political and legal issue, whether the island province of Taiwan is entitled to international recognition is not.

If Taiwan is to have equal footing in its negotiations with Beijing it can only do so under the title of Republic of China because the Republic of China is the only name, concept, or entity, that Taiwan can claim that ever had legal standing as a legitimate government of China. It is preposterous and irresponsible that the government of Taiwan has not considered the implications of a name change to “Taiwan,” and would propose to downgrade its legal and international status to adopt the name of a province of China as its legal name.

I urge the people of Taiwan to consider the implications of a positive referendum for changing the name of Taiwan from “Republic of China” to “Taiwan.” My concern is not simply that it will anger Beijing or constitute a “frontal assault on Beijing’s sensitivities.” The people of Taiwan must consider the international legal implications of such a name change. If it chooses to abandon the name “Republic of China,” the Republic of China will cease to exist, and the government of Taiwan will forfeit any legitimacy or right to govern on Taiwan, a province of China, without the direction and control of Beijing. I urge the people of Taiwan to consider this, and retain their status as the guardians and modern manifestation of the Republic of China.

Wen is a juris doctor candidate at Brooklyn Law School in New York City and author of “One China, Freely and Fairly Elected: A New Solution to the Issue of Taiwan,” forthcoming in the Columbia Journal of Asian Law.

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