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Taiwan Introduces New Passport Cover to Draw Distinction From China

Joyce Huang

   The Taiwan government released a new design Wednesday for its passport
   cover, and the island's popularly known name "Taiwan" is noticeably
   amplified in a bold font to avoid a connection to China, once the
   epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
   In a reduced size, the island's official name -- "the Republic of
   China" (R.O.C.) -- remains on the cover, which observers say helps
   de-escalate tensions with China.
   The official name, R.O.C., has made it difficult for its people to
   travel overseas since the start of the pandemic in January, as
   Taiwanese often are mistaken for Chinese, according to Taiwan's foreign
   minister, Joseph Wu.
   The government pushed the legislature to pass a motion in July,
   requesting that the Cabinet redesign the country's passport cover and
   the insignia of China Airlines, Taiwan's national carrier, to be more
   Taiwan-centric.
   Taiwan-centric passport
   Acting on the legislative motion, Wu said the new design puts Taiwan
   front and center on the cover while making only minimal changes.
   "On the passport cover, the word Taiwan is enlarged and placed right
   above the word passport, which stresses explicitly it's a Taiwan
   passport. It's now crystal clear," Wu told a press briefing Wednesday
   to introduce the new design.
   Another change involves the island's official name, which is largely
   downsized on the cover, but printed three times inside the ring
   circling the national emblem.
   Taiwan first added its alternative name to the passport cover in 2003
   when the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) swept
   into power, which was widely seen as a part of the party's hidden
   agenda to push Taiwan toward de jure independence.
   Confrontations avoided
   The re-designed passport cover suggests another step forward, although
   the DPP government apparently has made concessions by retaining the
   official name to avoid being engaged in ideological confrontations,
   said opposition KMT legislator Charles Chen.

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