What's In A Name? Taiwan Hopes A Lot

Taiwan citizens can start applying for their new passports starting Monday.

The passport gives prominence to "Taiwan" on the cover and first-day applicants can select from two limited editions.

The passport aims to avoid confusion with China.

Current Taiwan passports feature "Republic of China" - its formal name - printed in English at the top with Taiwan at the bottom. This created confusion internationally, the government said.

Taiwan nationals don't need to change their passports. They can continue to use old ones until they expire.

The new cover was launched by Foreign Minister Joseph Wu Sept. 2. It aims to draw a more clear distinction between China and Taiwan.

The Republic of China is sometimes confused with the People's Republic of China.

Some citizens were confused with China nationals in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and sometimes subjected to entry restrictions when the virus was under control in Taiwan.

Taiwan citizens were subjected to racist remarks and excessive checks, Taiwan officials said. 

Bureau of Consular Affairs chief Phoebe Yeh told Reuters that as of Monday they had received more than 700 applications.

China said it didn't matter what "petty moves" Taiwan made. It won't change the fact that the island is part of China.