Sihman
Chinese Taipei or Taiwan? | Being a Taiwanese | Taiwan
Taiwan is a beautiful and competitive country. Yet being a Taiwanese, we have a considerable recognition problem. This generation is struggling with an identity dilemma. Few people from other countries know or heard about this, so sometimes we have to explain to them. We are under the international confrontation between China and the US. To make an analogy, Israel and Palestine, Spain and Catalonia, even Canada and Quebec, possess similar problems to Taiwan. The following will focus on our current issues and how we can improve them.
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Current issues: What does Taiwan face today?
As an individual: Mistaken for Chinese when crossing the border.
When crossing the border last week from Ottawa to New York, I was mistaken for Chinese twice—led to longer questioning time. Taiwan has its passport that is a visa wavier passport in most countries, including Canada, the US, and the EU.
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(pic. I won't blame the officers who mistaken my nationality. On the passport, the words "republic of china" are more significant than "Taiwan.")
As a society: Being "Chinese Taipei" during international games.
A different team name during international games can lead to low national cohesion. For example, our national team has to use Chinese Taipei instead of Taiwan to attend the Olympics. Moreover, our winner cannot wear the national flag because of China. That happens a lot in many sports events that can increase Taiwan's visibility. Some Taiwanese may feel confused about their self-identity, not to mention foreigners.
As a country: Taiwan never gets to be apart of the UN.
Taiwan is one of the closest countries to China, which burst out the new coronavirus. We are not allowed to attend the WTO conference. It doesn't matter if we have the best medical system around the world. The same pressured by China, who is one of the five permanent members of the UN security council. They can exercise the power of veto over any proposal. These are historical problems that seem unsolvable in the short term. What can we do today?
What can Taiwan do to improve them?
Grow ourselves
A country's power is the sum of each citizens' ability. The more we contribute to the world, the more significant influencer we are. Useful international talents can drive industry development—for instance, electronics, biotechnology, and the new venture industry in Taiwan. By enriching ourselves, everyone can help to increase the visibility of Taiwan.
Be friendly with others
The best example of this is that Taipei, our capital city, signed a sister city with Prague, Czech, in January 2020. One can imagine how rare it could happen, especially after we broke off six countries in the last four years. All thanks to the kind and friendly Taiwanese people who made a good impression on the mayor of Prague. He had come to Taiwan for a medical internship when he was 25 years old.
Not everyone whom you are friendly to will treat you back, but at least 99% does. The so-called citizen diplomacy works, especially among students. For example, Japanese students travel to Taiwan for graduation trips. We should provide opportunities for the world to know us.
What can a foreigner do?
- Carry an open mind and notice the differences between countries are good enough.
- If you haven't planned for the next vacation, welcome to Taiwan!!!
By growing ourselves and being friendly to others, we know where we are from and where we are heading. One day we can proudly say, "I'm from Taiwan."