A 13-year-long Struggle to Get Rid of A Comma
¡°Taipei China¡± or ¡°Taipei, China¡±? That¡¯s the question. A question over which the government of Taiwan has fought for 13 years, to no avail.
The matter concerns Taiwan¡¯s membership in the Asian Development Bank, an international financial organization consisted of 60 nations/regions from both within and outside the Asian-Pacific area. When 1986 the ADB admitted the People¡¯s Republic of China as a member, it changed the name of the then existing member Republic of China, based in Taiwan, to ¡°Taipei, China,¡± in acknowledgement that there is only one China, represented by the government in Beijing. The decision was made to keep both mainland China and Taiwan as members and at the same time avoid the impression that the organization endorses the idea of ¡°two Chinas¡±, which Beijing vehemently objects to. ¡°Taipei, China¡± was, therefore, a compromise.
It was, however, a compromise that Taiwan does not like. Knowing that there was little hope for Taiwan to retain the name ¡°Republic of China¡± and still be a member of the ADB ¨C after all, the United Nations recognizes the People¡¯s Republic of China but not the Republic of China ¨C the government of Taiwan decided to strive for something less ambitious. Instead of ¡°Taipei, China¡±, it wants to be recognized in the ADB as ¡°Taipei China¡±. In other words, get rid of the comma.
The case makes a good example for schoolteachers endeavoring to show their students that grammar is important. ¡°Taipei, China¡± obviously implies a part of China; ¡°Taipei China¡±, on the other hand, suggests another China, separate and different, as opposed to, for instance, ¡°Beijing China¡±. Starting in 1989, therefore, Taiwan has been arguing with ADB members, calling on them to get rid of the comma. The members, however, seem to be know as well what the comma is about, and have consistently rejected Taiwan¡¯s request. During the period, to put pressure on the international body, Taiwan temporarily stopped paying dues to the organization, but the move failed produce result and contributions soon resumed.
As of right now, Taiwan¡¯s crusade against the comma continues (the annual meeting of the ADB is currently in session in Beijing). One may safely assume that the situation will not be a comfortable one for any party involved until there is a positive resolution of the strained relationship between mainland China and the Taiwan island.
You may click here to see the poor, unwanted comma.
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