China has asked US airlines to designate Taiwan as part of China on their websites and systems. Regardless of where you fall on the China/Taiwan debate, there are impracticalities that arise when treating the two places as one country and it has nothing to do with patriotism.
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Background
For the record, I want to be clear that I respect China’s sovereignty as well as that of Taiwan’s. If that seems like a paradox, it is. The Republic of China (Taiwan) was formed by a former Chinese leader on a Chinese island and from the view of China, has been allowed to function with some level of autonomy for more than 60 years. At the same time, as an American, I can appreciate that some territories no longer want to be a part of the old country. The US split from Britain in a violent way that Canada, Australia, India, South Africa and others have been able to avoid. However, from the Chinese perspective, calling Taiwan an independent country is no different than Puerto Rico, Texas or California being recognized as separate from the US by China. China has asked the carriers to comply with thier protocol of recognizing their territories as their own. Taiwan has naturally preferred to remain separate.
Why Now?
Taiwan has long tried to assert itself as independent from China as a stand-alone country, this is not a recent problem. They hold their own democratic elections, use their own currency, are a fully capitalist economy and advocate free speech. However, China is starting to make some moves to assert their authority over their territories. The airlines need to maintain good relations with the People’s Republic of China (China or PRC) but also with Taiwan as they have been left to do their own governing for so long. Recognition is important and China has a long way to go to re-assimilate Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau if they intend to return them to provincial status. While some have suggested it has something to do with Nationalistic political movements around the world, I personally think that it further coincides with the slow transition from Hong Kong’s agreed return to Chinese rule and the Basic Law. The road will be long and slow for Hong Kong but China seems to be making progress or at least Hong Kong doesn’t seem to be advancing their cause of independence, so I am more apt to believe that corporately it makes sense to get Taiwan on a similar path and timeline.
Why This Change Is Impractical for Airlines
There is a real problem in calling Taiwan part of China, aside from the diplomatic one, is key to travel sites. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and China all have different entry/exit requirements. While Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are all very similar, they are categorically different than entering China. Any of the three territories could change their requirements and allowances at any time to be dissimilar as they like. To enter without an onward connection in China requires a 10-year visa, and in some cities, an extended connection does not permit entry into the country itself. Pricing also works differently as Yuan is the currency of China, while the Hong Kong Dollar is accepted in Hong Kong (and pegged to Macau who does not currently have long-haul service to the US); the Taiwanese Dollar carries still a third currency and exchange rate.
Looking around for other examples, Great Britain comes to mind. If one were to fly from New York to Edinburgh (Scotland, UK), London (England, UK) or Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK) the same entry and exit policies apply to each, the same currency is used. From China’s perspective, nations of the UK are akin to that of China but different for many reasons (“same same but different” to borrow from my Thai friends).
If a casual traveler decided to visit Taiwan and found it to be listed under China, maybe the website would stop visitors from applying for a 10-year Chinese visa. But perhaps those travelers would check into “Chinese tourist visa” requirements and apply for something that wasn’t required. Worse still, they may book into Taiwan and on to Beijing but don’t have the visa in advance.
China, itself, demonstrates in their own policies that the territories are in fact different countries. If China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are to be thought of as a single country, why do passport holders from China need a visa to enter the three listed territories and the other way around?
It seems the Middle Kingdom is looking at this impractically, though patriotically. I understand why China is adamant about the point (Taiwan too for that matter in their need to remain independent) but it is a wholly unique situation that requires a delicate approach. It seems more accurate to me that they are considered different countries, just as a French overseas territory might have different regulations to mainland France.
It’s not that China doesn’t have the right to demand such, especially in the case of Hong Kong and Macau which were leased territories from China to the UK and Portugal for almost a century. But until they align their immigration policies, currencies, and laws it seems impractical at a minimum to demand air carriers to reach a consensus that the territories are wholly part of China when they operate completely differently.
“SAR” FTW?
Hong Kong’s country designation had been listed as “SAR” (Special Administrative Region) on some websites, “China” on others. This indicates to travelers and companies that Hong Kong is different than other regions of China but not that it is separate from China. This seems to solve both problems, respecting China’s sovereignty as Americans would expect in regards to states, or the UK in regards to nations, while still indicating that it’s not mainland China and other policies and regulations apply.
What do you think? Have I over-simplified the issue? Is it, in fact, practical for the carriers and other travel providers to suggest all three territories are the same as mainland China?
Big error. Not your fault but the fault of years of efforts and brainwashing by the Red Chinese government.
“calling Taiwan an independent country is no different than Puerto Rico, Texas or California being recognized as separate from the US by China.”
It is a big difference.
Calling Shanghai an independent country IS no different than Texas being recognized as separate from the US by China” That would be true. Also the One China policy has been forced upon the US by the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China.
Red China should be reasonable. North Korea and South Korea both claim each other but neither bullies the US into saying Pyongyang, South Korea or Seoul, Democratic People’s Republic of (North) Korea.
One way to fight Red China probably unsuccessfully would be to have drop down boxes like this:
Atlanta, GA, USA (ATL)
Taipei, Taiwan, China (TPE) – Visa, currency, and administration by the Republic of China on Taiwan but required to list “China” in this instance under threat of punishment by the People’s Republic of China.
That would cause Red Chinese retaliation so this could be tried (and not work):
Taipei, Taiwan, China (TPE) – not actually controlled by the People’s Republic of China – Uses immigration, customs, currency of the Republic of China on Taiwan.
I have no direct skin in the matter having never been to Red China and only been to Nationalist China (Taiwan) for about 1.5 hours once at the airport.
Your recommendation for how to implement it could work, but I still think it leads to confusion for the average traveler.
The solution should be that Taiwan joins NATO. See if the People’s Republic of China will cut off trade and air service to Canada, United States, EU, UK, etc. Maybe allow Brazil, Chile, South Africa, Australia, Japan, and South Korea to join NATO and see if China can survive selling electric can openers or toasters to Africa?
We need to speak in language understandable to China. And that is “Stop your communist hegemony against the freedom loving Americans and stop your aggressive efforts and those of your communist lackeys against us.”
Nicely argued, except that the focus on practicality indicates a biased perspective catering to those who usually enjoy the privilege of visa-free entrance into foreign countries. Sure, listing Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan all under China while maintaining different visa requirements and currencies can be confusing to US passport holders and other foreigners, but why can’t travellers just do a little bit more research? In fact, the entrance requirements for US can be equally confusing for people from P.R. China, who do not need a visa to enter Saipan, but need one to enter Guam, although both are considered US territories. Moreover, some US Visa holders from P.R. China are required to apply for pre-clearance online while others aren’t. At the end of the day, it’s the travellers’ responsibility to do their homework. Again, despite the sense of entitlement this is a well-written article.
Despite my entitlement, I agree that travelers absolutely need to do their own research. I think it’s more realistic to say that some won’t and that will end in tears for everyone. It seems more practical to make another distinction rather than as simply provincial China.
Taiwan is a completely independent country. It is in no sense a “territory” of the PRC unless you have totally bought into the PRC party line.
Not just me, 87% of UN countries agree that Taiwan is not independent of China. I think one would have a harder case showing Taiwan to be independent (outside of the items I list above) than that Taiwan is part of China. If I have bought into “the party line” then I join Kissinger in the 1970s and every president since including most world leaders and governments.
But keep in mind that I also argued that diplomatically and politically they act and are treated as a separate country by China and that yes it is a paradox (first line of the post) but that it appears both are true.
Any person from People republic of China to Taiwan is at most a tourist since People republic of China became an independent country; even the 87% UN countries were brought to an agreement that Taiwan is not independent of China.
The first part is the statement “Any person from People republic of China to Taiwan is at most a tourist since People republic of China became an independent country” is a fact even today. yet the second part ” 87% of UN countries agree that Taiwan is not independent of China. ” is a much younger idea since may be Kissinger in 1970’s. So it is a paradox today. yet it wan’t 50 years ago.
The bottom line for the airlines is…..the bottom line. It comes down to the fact that more people are going to fly to China than Taiwan, therefore they are going to have to tow the line. The may not like it, but it’s not up to the airlines to take a stand.
I fully agree with that and was surprised that American tried to get away with kind of a duct tape solution since they don’t fly to Taiwan on their own metal. I would have thought that they would have made less of a stand than say United who not only fly direct but also work with an alliance member hubbed in TPE.
Mike writes that more people fly to the People’s Republic of China than the Republic of China (Taiwan) but the demands of the many do not necessarily outweigh the demands of the few. Otherwise, the US would not have fought World War II. After all, in WW2, only Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and killed 2,000 people, far fewer American troops who died because the U.S. fought back. With Germany, they didn’t even bomb New York but just issued a declaration of war, which the US could have ignored, much as it is ignoring the North Korea declaration of war that is still going on with the U.S.
Even the word “Taiwan” is caving in to the Communist on the mainland. Taiwan is actually the Republic of China. The Republic of China is less pig headed. They used to claim the entire mainland but stopped doing that (even though they never said “we no longer claim it” but just stay silent).
DL. UA, and AA solution of leaving out “Taiwan” and just putting it as “Taipei (TPE)” should be good enough and kowtowing slightly. If Red China demands more, Trump needs to be a bully like he is prone to be. He should also demand that Red Chinese airlines must list Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal as USA or ELSE FACE CONSEQUENCES. Yes, Vancouver, BC, USA.
Sorry to say, but you completely misrepresent the case both historically and as of current situation. Confusion arises from the usage of “China” which refers to a territory and not a state. Since presently “China” is used as a short synonym to People’s Republic of China, it is wrong to link Taiwan to China, as Taiwan has nothing to do with PRC. Taiwan has never been a part of People’s Republic of China (though it has been a temporary part of Japan). The legitimate government of “China” – Republic of China – has been forced to move to Taiwan island after the communist coup, and it is this government that has been initially recognized internationally (ROC has been a member of UN, when PRC was not). Sadly, ROC failed to regain the control over the mainland territory, and PRC power grew too big to ignore. What ROC should have done back then was to drop claims over China territory, since it became practically impossible to realize those. However, it did not, and UN then gave a seat of ROC to PRC. There was no time though when China/PRC had any control over Taiwan. Taiwan is an independent country as a matter of fact (unlike Hong Kong and Macau). Taiwan is not depending on China in any respect (unlike Hong Kong and Macau). Taiwanese people do not identify themselves as “Chinese” in a sense of a nationality.
First off, I don’t see where the U.S. has any national interest in Taiwan. So, I think the U.S. should tell Taiwan to make the best deal they can with future integration into China. In exchange for non-interference with Taiwan reunification, we persuade China to exert its influence to denuclearize N. Korea.
While your argument is logical, this whole episode looks like politics on China’s part to me, and logic (sadly) doesn’t apply to politics. I really don’t think China cares about the practicalities of what they’re asking for. They’re either just trying to score political points and/or trying to use this issue to try and squeeze attractions on something else.
No argument.
This article is literally Chinese propaganda and completely inaccurate. Taiwan has complete autonomy over itself, it is not like Hong Kong. Taiwan is not a Chinese territory.
I can’t believe the boarding area would allow something so factually inaccurate and blatantly incorrect to be posted. Just because China has bullied other countries into not officially recognizing Taiwan doesn’t make it a Chinese territory.
Interesting that you say that. I think that if a Chinese official was sitting in front of me reading it, they would have the opposite take. The suggestion that Taiwan should remain differentiated even on a travel website would be heresy.
And if a Taiwanese official was sitting across from you, he would vehemently disagree with you. So, the fact that China says something is so does not make it so.
As for the people here who say “why shouldn’t Taiwan just quiet down and prepare for transition to the PRC”, ask yourself: how would you like to have your country absorbed by a totalitarian, communist regime? There goes your freedom of speech, association, press, etc. You can still vote, but there’s only one choice on the ballot. Your kids will now learn the state propaganda in school. The Taiwanese don’t want that and I don’t blame them. And no, they’re not an administrative region of the PRC.
Plenty of countries have totally different visa requirements depending on what airport you fly into. Some on special occasions like Russia. Others permanently like Iran. Others just have certain airports equipped to handle foreigners visiting for tourism. Basing your visa requirements, or safety in general, on which country you are technically flying to is pretty dumb. And technicalities abound. Visiting the USVI probably still doesn’t require a passport for US citizens but located outside the Customs Territory of the United States.
This issue has absolutely nothing to do with passenger clarity. If you’re a big enough moron to fly to Taiwan thinking it’s currently under the de jure sovereignty of the PRC, that’s your problem and you’ll be on the hook for the ticket price. Caveat emptor. The issue is purely about standing up for Taiwan in whatever meek way this is. Countries have bend over for the PRC because corporate revenue growth has been heavily tied to Chinese prosperity. For a long time the entire Germany automobile industry growth was almost entirely due to China. Most of that has no flatlined. For sure, companies still don’t want to lose Chinese business and take that hit, but they are less willing to grovel like before. There may come a time where much of the world decides to band together and recognize Taiwan. ROC is running out the clock on that and playing their cards to get there.
I assume the USVI is similar to the UK’s Isle of Jersey, kind of separate but still part of the whole. I think there are some key differences there, USVI uses the same currency as the mainland, outsiders are still required to show a passport to enter and US citizens still aren’t. The entrance/exit requirements are the same for foreign visitors as New York or LA with the exception of import/export differences which are port specific.
A clarification of your comment saying that “87% of UN countries agree that Taiwan is not independent of China”. This is, from my understanding, the result of an interesting political strategy by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC forbids countries that it has relations with (ie embassy) to officially recognize the Republic of China (ROC/Taiwan). Therefore, if a country were to switch relations from Taiwan to China, it HAS TO drop relations with the ROC; otherwise, China will not reciprocate the recognition. In addition, if country X that originally recognizes PRC tries to also recognize ROC/Taiwan, the PRC will drop recognition of country X. Therefore I am pretty sure, but it is still speculation, that if PRC allowed it, many countries would recognize ROC as well.
The above is also the reason that Taiwan is not part of the UN or other UN agencies.
The PRC also uses soft power to help ‘convince’ countries to switch recognition from Taiwan to China (I think there are 18 countries that recognize Taiwan as a country). The PRC generally refuses to invest in countries that recognize China. In addition, PRC dissuade Chinese tourists from going to countries that recognize Taiwan (which can be a large source of revenue).
As a side note, Taiwan has an interesting political strategy to try to get around the lack of recognition. Instead of official embassies, Taiwan has established ~60 Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in countries throughout the world. These offices act as unofficially embassies in countries that do not officially recognize Taiwan as a country. These get all the same right and privileges (like visa processing and diplomatic immunity), but just do not get to have the name of ’embassy’
Andy, thank you for your comments. To address the 87% number, I used the 25 countries that do recognize Taiwan of the 193 countries in the world (though even this number can be disputed). While I don’t entirely disagree with your comment regarding China’s recognition campaign, it should be noted that this began in the 1970s with the US acceptance of the “One China” policy. The information you provided in your final paragraph affirms my assertion that in many ways Taiwan operates independently of China (including in their own cross-border relations) but as you have also stated, these are not embassies outright. This underlines that the territory is still disputed in some regard to me.