Hurdles Beyond Aviation
Taiwan officially refers to itself as the Republic of China and claims to be an independent country. It does operate autonomously and is recognized by fifteen states. China — officially named the People’s Republic of China — still sees Taiwan as a breakaway province.
Taiwan has taken major efforts this year to avoid misrepresentation with China. In July, Taiwanese officials approved a proposal for rebranding China Airlines. Many proponents advised renaming the airline. However, the Taiwanese government is concerned that doing so would anger China and negatively impact Taiwan’s air freedom privileges.
Also in August, Taiwanese officials unveiled a new passport design to stop confusion between its nationals and citizens of China. In the new passport, the word “Taiwan” is significantly larger and bolder, and the words “Republic of China,” have been eliminated. The Chinese characters for “Republic of China” still remain, albeit smaller than on the first version.
