China Airlines is often confused with Air China – the mainland’s national carrier (Representation)
Taipei, Taiwan:
The Taiwanese parliament on Wednesday passed a proposal to rename the island’s largest airline to avoid confusion with mainland carriers.
China Airlines (CAL) is often confused with Air China – the mainland’s national carrier – and there have long been calls to rename it or make it more clearly Taiwanese.
But the movement received new impetus during the coronavirus pandemic, which Taiwan successfully fought.
The autonomous island sent medical aid overseas as a diplomatic gesture of goodwill, often on board China Airlines planes, causing confusion among the public overseas about where the shipments came from.
Lawmakers on Wednesday approved a proposal asking the Transportation Department to come up with short- and long-term rebranding plans for the carrier, which is partly government-owned.
“The ministry should make CAL more internationally identifiable with Taiwanese images to protect Taiwan’s national interests because overseas it is mistaken for a Chinese airline,” Parliament Speaker Yu Shyi-kun said as he read proposal.
The motion did not set a timeline for the airline’s name change, saying it would require further discussion.
Some critics warn that renaming the airline could provoke China – especially if specific Taiwan references are added.
Beijing regards Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to seize it one day, by force if necessary.
He hesitates at any suggestion that the island is not part of a “one China”.
Increased military threats
The name China Airlines is a throwback to the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War, when defeated Kuomintang Nationalists (KMT) fled to Taiwan.
Their Republic of China – Taiwan’s official name – has emerged as a rival to the People’s Republic of China.
During the authoritarian era of the KMT, many Taiwanese companies often had the words “China” or “Chinese” placed in their names.
Taiwan has since evolved into one of Asia’s most progressive democracies, and a distinct Taiwanese identity has emerged.
Another proposal adopted Wednesday called on the island “to further improve the visibility of” Taiwan “on our passports.”
Taiwan passports currently read “Republic of China. Taiwan”.
A proposal from a minority party calling for the deletion of the term “Republic of China” was not adopted.
Since 2016, Beijing has stepped up diplomatic, economic and military pressure because current President Tsai Ing-wen refuses to recognize the concept that Taiwan is part of a “one China”.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said China had stepped up its saber-rattling, with jets entering the island’s air defense zone on an “almost daily” basis. last month.
He warned that China could use “external conflicts to solve its internal problems” such as the recent flooding, the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and a slowing economy.
“We are very concerned that Taiwan may be a very practical scapegoat for China,” he said.
“The government of Taiwan treats these matters very carefully … to prevent Taiwan from becoming China’s excuse for declaring war or starting a military conflict.”
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
