Lu made the remarks in a seminar on the progress of the Cabinet's efforts to create an internationalized living environment, which was held by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission.

Lu noted that the government has been promoting the adoption of Hanyu Pinyin -- the same romanization system used in China -- in three stages since October 2008.

At present, the work has entered its second and third stages, which involve changing the spellings on tourist guides and road signs, Lu said.

Proponents of adopting the Hanyu Pinyin say it would bring Taiwan's romanization system in line with international practice, while opponents feel it would remove a point of distinction between Taiwan and China.

The romanization system promoted while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was in power, called Tongyong, is also said to be more adaptable to Taiwan's other main languages -- Hoklo and Hakka -- than Hanyu Pinyin.

Wade-Giles and other less prominent romanization systems have been used in Taiwan for decades, leaving many place names for example with multiple spellings.

Efforts to unify the romanization system around the country have run into political resistance, and it is unclear if the Kuomintang government will be able to enforce the use of Hanyu Pinyin in DPP-controlled areas.

According to Lu, the government should make good use of language to strengthen foreigners' desire to visit Taiwan.

He cited South Korea, which rarely uses foreign languages on its street signs, as fostering a tourist environment unfriendly to foreigners and providing a model that Taiwan should avoid emulating.