Advertisement
Taiwan
ChinaPolitics

Taiwan’s ruling DPP raises hackles by omitting island’s official name from Double Tenth logo

  • Logo to mark the October 10 celebrations says ‘2023 Taiwan National Day’, with no mention of the Republic of China
  • Government is under fire from all directions over the move, which some say could suggest a push for independence

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
87
This year’s logo for the Double Tenth holiday has sparked controversy. Photo: CNA
Lawrence Chungin Taipei
A new logo to mark next month’s Double Tenth holiday has raised concerns over whether Taiwan’s government may try to change the self-ruled island’s official name, the Republic of China – a move that would provoke Beijing.
Advertisement

Known as the Double Tenth, October 10 marks the start of the 1911 revolution that ended the Qing dynasty and led to the founding of the Republic of China. It has been celebrated in Taiwan since the Nationalists were defeated by the Communists in the Chinese civil war in 1949 and fled to the island.

Organisers of the Double Tenth celebrations revealed this year’s logo, featuring two “10” characters, on Monday. Its slogan in Chinese reads: “Democratic Taiwan, resilience and sustainability”.

But it is the words in English underneath – “2023 Taiwan National Day”, with no mention of the Republic of China – that have drawn fire from the island’s Beijing-friendly camp.

The organisers of next month’s event are highlighting Taiwan’s democracy and resilience. Photo: AP
The organisers of next month’s event are highlighting Taiwan’s democracy and resilience. Photo: AP

“The ROC national day celebration is a very important event and it is absurd for the [Democratic Progressive Party] government to do away with the ROC title on this occasion,” said Lin Te-fu, former deputy secretary general of the main opposition Kuomintang party.

Advertisement
Advertisement