Taiwan is tired of being associated in any way with China's aggressive campaign to assert its authority - especially in the face of a continuing world health crisis and other issues.
Taiwan said Wednesday it would give its passport a makeover and give the country the distinction it deserves. The decision also essentially downgrades Taiwan's ties with China.
The Taiwan government has introduced a new-look passport to better convey its national individuality and keep its people traveling overseas from being erroneously identified as from mainland China.
"Republic of China" - which was printed in English and in large font on the cover - has been replaced by Chinese characters. The English remains - but in a smaller size.
The Republic of China is Taiwan's official name, according to its constitution. The application of the word "China" has long been a subject of debate. Although the Communist Party has never set up any form of governing body in Taiwan, mainland China claims the East Asia island state as part of its jurisdiction. The new passports will be released in January.
According to Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, since the start of the virus outbreak in China Taiwan's citizens have wished their government would "give more prominence" to the country's independent profile - and save them from being mistaken for citizens of mainland China.
"Many countries tightened immigration checks after COVID-19 broke out in January," Wu said at Wednesday's unveiling of the new design. "To help citizens avoid being falsely identified as Chinese, lawmakers agreed to make Taiwanese passports more recognizable and easier to distinguish from Chinese ones to uphold our citizens' dignity."
But Taiwan's move does not sit well with China Foreign Ministry representative Hua Chunying who said at a daily news briefing in Beijing that no matter what Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party's "petty moves" are, the international community recognizes one China only.
Japan relinquished control of Taiwan in 1945 and let China take it from there. Chiang Kai-shek transferred the Republic of China and its governing bodies to Taiwan four years later when the Mao Zedong-led Communist Party seized control of China during the country's civil war.
