TIL Desk/World/Taipei/ Taiwan rolled out a newly redesigned passport on Monday that gives greater prominence to the island’s day-to-day name, aiming to avoid confusion with China amid the Covid-19 pandemic and Beijing’s stepped-up efforts to assert sovereignty.
Existing Taiwanese passports have “Republic of China”, its formal name, written in large English font at the top, with “Taiwan” printed at the bottom, creating confusion internationally according to the government.
During the early days of the pandemic Taiwan says some of its citizens were confused with Chinese nationals and on occasion unfairly subject to the same Covid-19-related entry bans when the disease was well under control in Taiwan though not in China.
The new passport enlarges the word “Taiwan” in English and removes “Republic of China”, though that name in Chinese and in small English font around the national emblem remains.
