A US fundraising platform and a coffee association are changing Taiwan’s name to “Chinese Taipei”, in line with Beijing’s preferred naming convention for the self-governing island it claims as its own.
GlobalGiving offers fundraising tools in over 175 countries, including China. It has over 20 non-profit partners in Taiwan.
A spokesperson for the platform did not respond to HKFP’s questions about whether they faced pressure or when the update would take effect. But they said Wednesday: “We work with thousands of verified nonprofit partners in more than 175 countries, including China, and we comply with local laws and regulations in every country where we operate. Following local requirements allows us to build trust and connections between donors and trusted and relevant organizations.”
JustGiving partner Forward Alliance – a Taiwanese national security and civil defense think tank – said on Facebook on Thursday that it had been informed by the fundraising page about the upcoming update. “The change to define Taiwan as ‘Chinese Taipei’ is unacceptable. It is part of an ongoing campaign to diminish Taiwan internationally,” he said.
Forward Alliance added that it was liaising with other local NGOs and actively engaging with the funding platform to seek a solution.
On April 28, the Specialty Coffee Association (WCC) World Coffee Championship also changed the designation of Taiwan competitors to Chinese Taipei.
In one STATEMENTThe WCC said the update was “in line with the naming conventions used by international sporting bodies”, adding that it did not affect qualification routes, competitor eligibility or the competition experience.
Disputed status
The government of the Republic of China (ROC) has ruled Taiwan since 1945 after Japan was defeated in World War II, ending a 50-year occupation. ROC authorities fully withdrew from the island in 1949 after being defeated by the Chinese Communist Party in the Civil War. Beijing has since claimed democratic Taiwan as one of its provinces, threatening to annex it by force if necessary.
See also: Explainer – Is Taiwan a country? The controversial status of the self-governing island
Taiwan remains a self-governing democracy of 23 million people, with its own government, currency, borders and passports. However, only a handful of states recognize it diplomatically, as Beijing seeks to isolate the island on the world stage.
In 1981, the International Olympic Committee decided to use Chinese Taipei to allow Taiwanese athletes to compete, after years of controversy. Teams compete under a common Olympic banner.
