Editing Taiwanization (section)

== 2000s name rectification campaign ==

The "Name Rectification Campaign" includes efforts by the Taiwanese government beginning in 2000 to distance itself from [[China]] and rollback earlier sinicization efforts by taking actions such as removing Chinese influence from items within Taiwan control. While the [[Taiwanese localization movement]] may view such efforts as emphasizing the importance of Taiwan's culture, this section addresses the perspective of those who likely support the [[Chinese reunification]] of all of [[Greater China]] under a single political entity.

[[File:Wild-lily-movement.jpg|thumb|[[Wild Lily student movement|Wild Lily Movement]] in Taipei.]]
At the end of [[World War II]], Chinese [[Kuomintang]] forces [[Retrocession Day|took over]] Taiwan and soon began an effort to [[Sinicize#Taiwan|sinicize]] the population. Taiwanese urban elites were wiped out in the [[February 28 Incident]]. [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin Chinese]] became the only language allowed in media and school to the exclusion of other [[languages of Taiwan]], as well as Japanese. Public institutions and corporations were given names that included the words "China" or "Chinese".  School history and geography lessons focused on China with little attention paid to Taiwan.  Street names in Taipei were changed from their original names to Chinese names that reflected the geography of China and Kuomintang ideals.<ref>{{cite conference | first = June Teufel | last = Dreyer | title = Taiwan's Evolving Identity | url = http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event_summary&event_id=31149 | location = Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | quote = In order to shore up his government’s legitimacy, Chiang set about turning Taiwan’s inhabitants into Chinese. To use Renan’s terminology, Chiang chose to re-define the concept of shared destiny to include the mainland. Streets were re-named; major thoroughfares in Taipei received names associated with the traditional Confucian virtues. The avenue passing in front of the foreign ministry en route to the presidential palace was named chieh-shou (界壽), meaning "long live Chiang Kai-shek. Students were required to learn Mandarin and speak it exclusively; those who disobeyed and spoke Taiwanese, Hakka, or aboriginal tongues could be fined, slapped, or subjected to other disciplinary actions. | date = 17 July 2003 | accessdate = 20 May 2009 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110605131558/http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event_summary&event_id=31149 | archivedate = 5 June 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/17827189.html|quote=The new KMT concluded that it must “Sinicize” Taiwan if it were ever to unify mainland China. Textbooks were designed to teach young people the dialect of North China as a national language. Pupils also were taught to revere Confucian ethics, to develop Han Chinese nationalism, and to accept Taiwan as a part of China.|title=Starting Anew on Taiwan|publisher=Hoover Institution|year=2008|accessdate=2009-06-05|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408074759/http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/17827189.html|archivedate=2009-04-08}}</ref>

With the end of martial law in 1987 and the introduction of democracy in the 1990s after the [[Wild Lily student movement]], an effort began to re-assert Taiwanese identity and culture while trying to get rid of many Chinese influences imposed by the [[Kuomintang]].

=== Education and language campaign ===
In 2000, then-ROC president [[Lee Teng-hui]] began making statements such as "Taiwan culture is not a branch of Chinese culture" and "Taiwan's Minnan dialect is not a branch of [[Fujian]]'s [[Southern Min|Minnan]], dialect but rather a 'Taiwan dialect'<ref name="hoping">Huining, Zhuang; Haixia, Huang. (19 March 2001) [[World News Connection]] ''Hoping for an Early Completion of the Great Cause of National Reunification. China's NPC Deputies, CPPCC Members on Cross-Strait Reunification Viewed.''</ref> Taiwan radio and TV increased their [[Taiwanese Hokkien]] programming.<ref name="hoping"/> These efforts were perceived in China as initial efforts towards breaking the ties between Taiwan culture and Chinese culture by downplaying the long-term Chinese cultural and historic identification in that region.<ref name="hoping"/>

In April 2003, the Committee for Promoting Mandarin, which was part of Taiwan's Ministry of Education, released a legislation proposal entitled "Language Equality Law."<ref name="suppressing">Weixue, Peng (Beijing Renmin Wang). (10 April 2003) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''Taiwan Strait Observation: Taiwan Authorities Are Suppressing 'Mandarin' and Promoting 'Cultural Taiwan Independence.'''</ref> The proposed legislation sought to designate fourteen languages as the national languages of Taiwan.<ref name="suppressing"/> In mainland China, this was seen as an effort to diminish the use of [[standard Mandarin]] and its cultural influences in favor of revising the cultural and psychological foundations on the island of Taiwan by using other languages.<ref name="suppressing"/> The draft was not adopted.<ref name="suppressing"/>

The textbook issue was raised in November 2004, when a group of lawmakers, legislative candidates and supporters of the pro-independence [[Taiwan Solidarity Union]] (TSU) urged the [[ROC Ministry of Education]] to publish Taiwan-centric history and geography textbooks for school children as part of the Taiwanization campaign.<ref>Wu, Sofia - [[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Taipei Central News Agency]]. (9 November 2004) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''Tsu Lawmakers Call For Taiwan-centric History Textbooks.''</ref> Although the resulting draft outline of history course for regular senior middle schools was criticized by a variety of groups,<ref>[[People's Daily|People's Daily Online]] (11 November 2004) ''[http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200411/11/eng20041111_163629.html Islanders Criticize Taiwan Authorities' Outline of New History Course.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001172558/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200411/11/eng20041111_163629.html |date=2012-10-01 }}''</ref> President [[Chen Shui-bian]] responded that "to seek the truth of Taiwan's history" is not equal to [[desinicization]] nor an act of independence and indicated that he would not interfere with the history editing and compilation efforts.<ref>Chieh-yu, Lin. (19 November 2004) [[Taipei Times]] ''[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/11/19/2003211651 Chen says he's open-minded when it comes to history.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407073332/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/11/19/2003211651 |date=2019-04-07 }}'' Page 3.</ref><ref>Wu, Lilian. (21 July 2007) [[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Taiwan Headlines]] ''[http://www.cna.com.tw/eng/cepread.php?id=200707210028 Education Minister Denies Accusations On Textbooks.]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}''</ref>

The proposals to revise Taiwan's history textbooks were condemned in February 2007 by the [[People's Republic of China]]'s [[Taiwan Affairs Office|Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council]] as being part of the desinicization campaign.<ref>[[PLA Daily|Beijing Jiefangjun Bao]] (1 February 2007) ''[http://www.chinamil.com.cn/site1/xwpdxw/2007-02/01/content_723435.htm Chinese State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Condemns Taiwan Authorities Revising History Textbooks as Desinicization Move.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720022743/http://www.chinamil.com.cn/site1/xwpdxw/2007-02/01/content_723435.htm |date=2011-07-20 }}''</ref> In July 2007, the [[Education in Taiwan|Taiwan Ministry of Education]] released a study that found 5,000 textbook terms, some relating to Chinese culture, as being "unsuitable".<ref>[[China Post]] (22 July 2007) ''[http://www.chinapost.com.tw/print/115697.htm Ministry of Education study concludes 5,000 textbook terms 'unsuitable'.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171041/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/print/115697.htm |date=2016-03-03 }}''</ref> The [[Kuomintang]] saw this as part of a textbook censorship desinicization campaign.<ref>[[China Post]] (23 July 2007) ''Opposition slams Taiwan denial textbook censorship desinicization campaign.''</ref> The proposals have not been adopted.

=== Name change campaign ===
[[File:Taiwan ROC Passport.jpg|thumb|[[ROC passport|Republic of China (Taiwan) passport]].]]
[[File:Taichung Post Office, Taiwan 20070831.jpg|thumb|[[Chunghwa Post|Taiwan Post Co.]] post office in [[Taichung]].]]
Between 2002 and 2007, the ROC government under Chen Shui-bian took steps to revise the terms "China", "Republic of China", "Taipei", and others that impart an association with the Chinese culture.<ref name="relations">[[Ta Kung Pao|Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao]] (11 May 2002) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''Ta Kung Pao Editorial Criticizes Forces Promoting 'Taiwan' as Official Name. Rectification of Taiwan's Name' Is Actually for the Sake of Pursuing 'Taiwan Independence.''</ref><ref>[[China Post]] (8 February 2007) ''The DPP's Cultural Revolution.''</ref><ref>[[China Post]] (11 February 2007) ''The name-change fever.''</ref><ref>Hsiu-chuan, Shih. (21 March 2007) [[Taipei Times]] ''[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/03/21/2003353189 Wu's transfer to US upsets pan-blues.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407073334/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/03/21/2003353189 |date=2019-04-07 }}'' Page 3.</ref>

In 2002, the "Name Rectification Campaign" made significant advances in replacing the terms "China", "Republic of China", or "Taipei" with the term "Taiwan" on official documents, in the names of Taiwan-registered organizations, companies, and public enterprises on the island, and in the names of businesses stationed abroad.<ref name="relations"/> In 2003, the ROC Foreign Ministry issued a new [[Republic of China passport|passport]] with the word "Taiwan" printed in English on its cover.<ref>Qing, Hua (Beijing Renmin Ribao) (17 June 2003) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''What 'Convenience' Does the Addition of 'Taiwan' Provide? Column Criticizes Decision to Add 'Taiwan' to Passports.''</ref> Moreover, in January 2005, Taiwan adopted a Westernized writing format for government documents, denied that it was an attempt at desinicization, and promoted the actions as "a concerted effort at globalizing Taiwan's ossified bureaucracies and upgrading the nation's competitive edge."<ref>Shu-ling, Ko. (4 January 2005) [[Taipei Times]] ''[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/01/04/2003217950 Using Westernized writing format isn't an issue: premier.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407073333/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/01/04/2003217950 |date=2019-04-07 }}'' Page 2.</ref>

Campaigning in this area continued in March 2006, where the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] sought to change the Republic of China year designation used in Taiwan to the [[Gregorian calendar]].<ref name="calendar">Wu, Lilian - [[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Taipei Central News Agency]]. (21 March 2006) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''Taiwan Lawmakers Say Changing Year Designation To Cost Nearly $309 Million.''</ref> Instead of the year 2006 being referred to as the "95th year of the ROC"—with the 1912 founding of the Republic of China being referred to as "the first year of the ROC"—the year 2006 would be identified as 2006 in official usage such as on banknotes, IDs, national health insurance cards, driver's licenses, diplomas and wedding certificates.<ref name="calendar"/> This was viewed as the government trying another angle for desinicization by removing any trace of China from Taiwan.<ref name="calendar"/>

In February 2007, the term "China" was replaced by the term "Taiwan" on Taiwan postage stamps to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the [[February 28 Incident]] that began on 28 February 1947 that was violently suppressed by the Kuomintang (KMT).<ref>[[China Post]] (14 February 2007) ''Desinicization likely to continue.''</ref> In that same month, the name of the official [[mail|postal service]] of Taiwan was changed from the [[Chunghwa Post|Chunghwa Post Co.]] to The Taiwan Post Co.<ref>Wu, Sophia. (23 July 2007) [[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Taiwan Headlines]]. ''[https://archive.today/20120805171831/http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=81816&CtNode=39 Cgj Not To Deal With Name Change Constitutionality Issue.]''</ref> The company's name was changed back on 1 August 2008, and the names on the postal stamps were reversed in late 2008, soon after the [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) candidate [[Ma Ying-Jeou]] won back presidency and ended 8 years of the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] (DPP) rule.

In March 2007, the name plate of the [[Republic of China diplomatic missions|ROC Embassy in Panama]] was revised both to include the word "Taiwan" in parentheses between the words "the Republic of China" and "Embassy" in both of its Chinese and Spanish titles, and to omit the ROC national emblem.<ref>Huang, Ramon; Wu, Sofia. (25 March 2007) [[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Taiwan Headlines]] ''[http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=67612&CtNode=39 Taiwan Embassies, Representative Offices in Latin America Replace Name Plates.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032141/http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=67612&CtNode=39 |date=2016-03-04 }}''</ref>

Supporters of the name-change movement argue that the Republic of China no longer exists, as it did not include Taiwan when it was founded in 1912 and mainland China is now controlled by the Chinese Communist Party as the People's Republic of China.  Furthermore, the ambiguity surrounding the [[legal status of Taiwan]] as a result of the [[Treaty of peace with Japan]] and [[Treaty of San Francisco]] after World War II, means that the Republic of China was merely a military occupier of Taiwan.  As Japan relinquished its sovereignty over Taiwan without passing it to a specific country, it is argued that Taiwan ought to be deemed a land belonging to no country, whose international status has yet to be defined.

=== Constitutional and political campaign ===
In October 2003, President [[Chen Shui-bian]] announced that Taiwan would seek a new constitution suitable for the Taiwan people that would turn Taiwan into a "normal country."<ref name="constitution">Wu, Lilian - [[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Taipei Central News Agency]]. (6 October 2003) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''President Wants Constitution That Fits Taiwan People.''</ref> In explaining what a normal country was in the context of desinicization and the 1992 [[One-China policy]], Chen Shui-bian stated,

{{blockquote|Taiwan is an independent sovereign country, but a lot of people do not think of Taiwan as a country and do not dare to call Taiwan an independent sovereign nation, which is quite abnormal. ... Taiwan must not fall into the trap of being regarded as part of China, or become a special region of China like Hong Kong.<ref name="constitution"/>{{additional citation needed|date=December 2012}}}}

In response, the [[Pan-Blue Coalition]] within Taiwan sought to portray President Chen Shui-bian and his [[Democratic Progressive Party]] as radicals intent on implementing revolutionary desinicization that would disenfranchise various ethnic groups within Taiwan who have an affinity for China and the Chinese culture.<ref>Tai-lin, Huang - [[Taipei Times]]. (15 November 2003) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''Pan-Blue Portraying Green Camp As "Radical"''</ref>

In February 2007, the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] (DPP) adopted a resolution to identify those responsible for the 1947 [[February 28 Incident]] massacre of Taiwanese people in order to charge them with [[war crimes]] and [[crimes against humanity]]. The effort also sought to remove the "remnants of dictatorship" traced to that sixty-year-old incident.<ref name="incident">[[China Post]] (8 February 2007) ''DPP urges probe to 'uncover truth' of 2-28.''</ref> This was seen in mainland China as being in line with a series of desinicization actions by both the Taiwan government and the DPP to rid both Chiang and China from the Taiwan public scene.<ref name="incident"/> Some applauded this as a courageous act of seeking justice. Others criticized the request, seeing it as "rubbing salt into wounds" by playing up the historical issues for political gain.<ref name="incident"/>

=== Other campaign ===
In March 2007, it was noted that the destruction of the [[West Coast line (Taiwan)|Western Line]] railway base found below the floor of the [[Taipei Main Station]] and built in 1893 by [[Qing Empire]]-appointed Governor of [[Taiwan Province (Qing)|Taiwan Province]] [[Liu Mingchuan]] was part of the government's call for desinicization through removal of the Chinese site.<ref>Ting-wei, Ku. (12 March 2007) [[Taipei Times]] ''[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/03/12/2003351975 Picking and {{sic|nolink=y|chosing|expected=choosing}} the history we want to keep.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407073332/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/03/12/2003351975 |date=2019-04-07 }}'' Page 8.</ref>

In July 2007, President Chen Shui-bian announced that he would allow mainland Chinese diplomas or students into Taiwan during the rest of his presidential term.<ref>[[Taipei Times]] (24 July 2007) ''[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/07/24/2003371081 Chen's Diploma Policy Is Backward.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407073336/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/07/24/2003371081 |date=2019-04-07 }}'' Page 8.</ref> This, however, was not achieved.

=== Impact ===
One phenomenon that has resulted from the Taiwanization movement is the advent of [[Taike]] subculture, in which young people consciously adopt the wardrobe, language and cuisine to emphasize the uniqueness of popular, grassroots Taiwanese culture, which in previous times had often been seen as provincial and backwards by the mainstream.

In April 2002, the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) noted both active efforts on the part of Taiwan to push ahead its Taiwanization policy and intensified United States-Taiwan military cooperation. In response, the CCP publicly reminded its military to be prepared to achieve its goal of "[[Chinese reunification]]" (intended to mean making Taiwan a part of the People's Republic of China) through military means. In addition, the CCP sought assistance from the United States to address the matter with Taiwan. As part of making the upcoming U.S. visit by then vice-president [[Hu Jintao]] go smoothly, the United States cautioned the [[Chen Shui-bian]] administration not to "go too far" in [[cross-Strait relations]].<ref>[[Ming Pao|Hong Kong Ming Pao]] (12 April 2002) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''U.S. Cautions Taiwan Not To "Go Too Far" in Cross-Strait Relations.''</ref>

In April 2005, the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party|CCP general secretary]] Hu Jintao and the former ROC Vice President and then chairman of the Kuomintang party (KMT) [[Lien Chan]] shook hands. Billed as a historic moment, this was the first handshake by the top leaders of the KMT and the CCP in 60 years.<ref name="handshake">[[People's Daily|People's Daily Online]] (30 April 2005) ''[http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200504/30/eng20050430_183378.html A moment that goes down in history.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001172630/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200504/30/eng20050430_183378.html |date=2012-10-01 }}''</ref> In remarking on the handshake, chairman Lien noted that it was a turning point where the KMT and the CCP would work together to bring about peaceful [[cross-strait relations]] and specifically distanced the KMT from Taiwan independence and desinicization efforts.<ref>Binhua, Chen; Yong, Zhang - [[Xinhua News Agency|Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service]] (30 April 2005) [[Open Source Center|World News Connection]] ''Hu Jintao, Lien Chan Hold 'Formal Talks;' Exchange Views on Developing Cross-Strait Ties.''</ref>