Play the Taiwan card again! U.S. lawmakers encourage Taiwan's representative office in the U.S. to be renamed "Taiwan Representative Office"

Play the "Taiwan Card" again!

U.S. lawmakers encourage Taiwan's representative office in the U.S. to be renamed "Taiwan Representative Office"

　　[Global Times reporter Zhao Juehui] Some US politicians frequently play the "Taiwan card" to undermine Sino-US relations, and they have taken new actions recently.

On the 28th, several U.S. congressmen proposed the so-called "Taiwan Diplomacy Review Act" with the intent to change the DPP’s representative office in the U.S.—"Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S." to "Taiwan Representative Office." Officials stationed in the United States" issue special visas.

Wen Shaobiao, a Taiwanese scholar at Shanghai International Studies University and director of the Shanghai Taiwan Studies Association, said in an interview with the Global Times reporter on the 30th that the name-changing trick can neither change Taiwan’s status as a non-sovereign actor, nor change the unofficial nature of US-Taiwan relations. Nature, on the contrary exposed the anxiety and speculation of some American politicians and Tsai Ing-wen’s administration.

　　Taiwan’s "Central News Agency" reported on the 28th that the bill was jointly proposed by U.S. Democratic Congressman Brad Sherman and Republican U.S. Congressman Stephen Shaper.

The press release issued by Sherman and Xia Bo declared that the United States refers to Taiwan as "Taiwan" in its foreign policy, rather than "Taipei" or "Chinese Taipei". In 2019, it also changed the name of "Coordinating Committee for North American Affairs (CCNAA)". It is "Taiwan American Affairs Committee (TCUSA)".

Following this long-term policy, some members of the House of Representatives proposed the so-called "Taiwan Diplomacy Review Act," requesting the US Secretary of State to negotiate with the Taiwan-US Affairs Committee and rename the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" to the "Taiwan Representative Office."

　　According to reports, the draft also requires the Senate to approve the appointment of the director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

In addition, regarding the situation where Taiwanese officials and so-called "diplomatic personnel" cannot obtain diplomatic visas but can only obtain investor visas, Sherman and Xia Bo believe that this does not accurately represent the purpose of their mission in the United States as "official representatives of Taiwan". Therefore, the "Taiwan Diplomacy Review Act" will create a new visa category that is only applicable to Taiwanese officials.

　　Regarding this draft, Taiwan’s “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” hurriedly expressed “thank you” on the 29th and said that it will continue to monitor the progress of the bill in the future, and maintain close contact with friends in the US Congress and the executive branch to steadily deepen the “Taiwan-US substantial partnership”.

Compared with the crazy and flattering Tsai Ing-wen authorities, many netizens on the island have made sharp criticisms of such hype, "It's time to talk, let's be practical. Isn't Taiwan spending enough money?"

　　This is not the first time that the DPP authorities and some American politicians have been using the "right of name" trick recently.

On December 17 last year, 78 members of the United States Congress jointly sent a letter to the then Secretary of State Pompeo, encouraging the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" to be renamed "Taiwan Representative Office", claiming that the term "Taipei" cannot be confirmed. Reflect the connotation of bilateral relations.

　　Wen Shaobiao stated that the US House of Representatives concocted the so-called "Taiwan Diplomacy Review Act" in a vain attempt to give the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States" more political attributes and enhance its political function and representativeness, which violated the "Shanghai Communique" and The spirit of the "Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the United States" undermined the foundation of political mutual trust between China and the United States and sent a wrong signal to the "Taiwan independence" forces.