The foreign ministry of Taiwan has objected to being referred to as a province of China on Google Maps.

The government of Taiwan, which rules the island nation, has complained to search engine company Google about how Taiwan is represented on Google Maps. That product refers to Taiwan as a province of China.

In a Reuters report, a spokesperson for Taiwan commented on the issue. "It is incorrect to call Taiwan a province of China because we are not," foreign ministry spokesman Michel Lu said. "We have contacted Google to express our position and asked them to correct the description."

Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China and has done so since the end of a civil war with China in 1949. However, the country is not formally recognized by the UN as a sovereign nation, and China has viewed Taiwan as a breakaway province for years.

Taiwan, of course, has disagreed with the mainland government’s view of the situation. That has led to tension between not just the two government’s but between the US and China as well. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Solidarity Union has urged citizens to email Google in protest.

Referring to Taiwan as a province could be just an innocent mistake on someone's part at Google. But Google and other high-tech firms have faced accusations of being too compliant with Chinese Internet censors, and this could be viewed as a subtle bit of appeasement toward a country with a fast growing Internet market waiting to be tapped.

That market of over 100 million Chinese Internet users has become compelling enough to lead players in the search engine market to be very competitive. Microsoft continues to fight Google in court over its hiring of former Microsoft executive Kai-Fu Lee to run Google’s China operations.

I think it was intentional, which demonstrates than moneys are more important than principles also in the so-called «democratic» countries.

__________________
Dario de Judicibus, Rome, Italy (UE)
Site: http://www.dejudicibus.it
Blog: http://lindipendente.splinder.com

Hmmmm...scary stuff - Google should be careful.

It's interesting to see how a decision like this has major politics, and large implications behind it.

I can't say I'm educated enough in the area to take one side over the other, but I can see it being a touchy issue.

"Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times." - Winston Churchill

__________________
Free Online Paid Surveys - Americans, Canadians, Australians, UK residents, International residents, Kids - anyone can join!

I think it is more likely a result of simply a lack of knowledge. Many maps produced around the world show Taiwan as part of China.

From the post above, Taiwan has been part of the Republic of China since October 25, 1945--previously it was part of Japan. Taiwan didn’t just start calling itself Taiwan the Republic of China as a result of the Nationalists losing the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan is called that because it became part of the ROC. In 1949, the national government of the Republic of China established itself in Taipei. From 1949 until 1991, the KMT-led government on Taiwan claimed it was the legitimate ruler of all of China, which included Mongolia and Taiwan. So, the government would have agreed that Taiwan was a province of China, only a province of the Republic of China rather than a province of the People's Republic of China.

In 1991, the government changed its stance by declaring that their were two entities--the PRC which controlled the mainland and the ROC which controlled Taiwan.

Since the late-1990s, they often add the phrase "on Taiwan" to the name Republic of China. And have tried to re-enter the UN, which Taiwan as the ROC left in 1971, but China has blocked this move every year.

China has vowed to use military force if Taiwan declares actual independence. But Taiwan is not a province of the PRC and thus maps should show this reality.

But it is also possible that Google has bent to Chinese pressure on the issue as well. Most business people would sell their daughters into prostitution for a few extra bucks, I don't see why Google would be any different in this regard.

I would have to agree with Kerer99 by saying I don't know enough to make a comment but I will say that on one of the Ryze.com networks I am participate on there was a site that was blocked in China because it spoke of the Yahoo merger in a negative light.

I would really hate to believe that Google would make a decision like that but it could very easily happen.

KJF

__________________
Kyle J. Firner

I would have to agree with Kerer99 by saying I don't know enough to make a comment but I will say that on one of the Ryze.com networks I am participate on there was a site that was blocked in China because it spoke of the Yahoo merger in a negative light.

I would really hate to believe that Google would make a decision like that but it could very easily happen.

KJF

__________________
Kyle J. Firner

After the Nationalist Government fled to the island of Taiwan in 1949 they re-established themselves as the Republic of China, continuing to assert that they and they alone constituted the legal government of all of China. Taiwan had recently been recovered from Japan after over 50 years of occupation. It had been ceded to Japan following a military defeat of Chinese Imperial forces. It was a singularly bloody period in the history of the Nationalists who mercilessly suppressed the native populations of Taiwan, including native Taiwanese and ethnic Chinese who had migrated there over five centuries.

Taiwan became an island fortress from which the Nationalists hoped to one day emerge to reconquer the Communist government on the Mainland and return to power. It was regarded as no more than a province by the Nationalists and Communists alike. The Communist government lacked sufficient military power to successfully launch and invasion of the island to dislodge the Nationalists who persisted in their claim to be the sole government of all of China. They were supported in this fantasy at the time by the U.S. Government which continued to maintain, as it has until today, that Taiwan is a province of China (or will not say otherwise) and that there is only one government of all of China. Albeit, our government shifted its recognition of that government to Mainland China. Taiwan's status then changed, for all intents and purposes, to a de facto protectorate of the U.S. subject to the transitory whims of U.S. foreign policy in the region.

It has only been a few years since the dictatorial governments of the Nationalists under Chiang Kai Shek and his son, China Ching Kuo have evolved into a true semblance of democracy as we define it. The de-recognition of the Nationalist Government and replacement in all international bodies by that of the Mainland Government couple with the eventual US recognition of that status left the government on Taiwan in a virtual vacuum, unloved and unwanted.

Nature decries a vacuum, consequently Taiwan has been in a state of flux between those who favor outright independence from China and those who hope for an eventual rapprochment with the Mainland government which would likely take the form of that
granted to Hong Kong after it was relinquished by Great Britain, a self governing Special Administrative Region. The pro-
independence faction on Taiwan is dominated by ethnic Taiwanese and the long term Han Chinese population who emigrated long ago and have no enduring ties to the Mainland population.

The tradition of kinship and loyalty to one's place of birth is one of the most compelling of Chinese social factors. A common form of introduction among the Chinese is, "Nin laojia zai nar?", or "Where is your old home?", irrespective of where you are living now or how you came to be there. Taiwan is in fact a major source of tourists visiting the Mainland for both cultural and family reasons.

It is hard to beat the Chinese in the use of semantics and polemics. Taiwan was originally settled by the Mainland Chinese in large numbers following the fall of the Ming Dynasty to the Manchus approximately 500 years ago when they fled to avoid the invading armies of the Ching Dynasty. It eventually came under the sway of the imperial government, becoming an adjunct to the nearby Chinese province of Fujian. Thus it remained until it was occupied by the Japanese in 1895 during the final days of the decline and fall of the Ching Dynasty which was finally overthrown by the Nationalists in 1911. Its status was undecided during the brief period following the defeat of Japan while China was engaged in civil war between Nationalist and Communist forces, eventually becoming a province following the flight of Nationalists.

The Nationalists continued to enjoy recognition as the government of China for a number of years due to the acceptance of the principle that only one government could speak for the Chinese in world bodies. Taiwan was thus recognized solely as a
province of China and the seat of the Nationalist government. During the Nixon Administration the recognition of the government in Beijing became effective and the Nationalists were stripped of their status in world bodies and diplomacy in
general. The status of Taiwan as a province of China, however was not changed.

Google was absolutely correct in its description of Taiwan as a province of China. Until such time as a definitive change in that status has transpired, recognized by the world community, so it shall remain. It may be interesting to note that the United States does not diplomatically recognize the government of Taiwan. Lacking another name to describe the island and its government it is referred to as: conventional long form: none; conventional short form: Taiwan; local long form: none; local short form: T'ai-wan; former: Formosa.

The subject of the status of Taiwan is undoubtedly controversial with all parties to it engaged in an ongoing tug of war with no certainty as to how it will eventually evolve. Given the Chinese propensity to wear down the opposition with long term negotiation, call it haggling if you will, broken by periods of silence and interrupted by harsh words, I think that there will be a rapprochement owing to the Chinese desire to maintain a unified culture in spite of political differences. Time will tell. As with all family squabbles, it is often best to keep your nose out of them.

Taiwan is a province of China as the Japanese, who occupied Taiwan until 1945, had to give it back to China. China used to be an empire until 1911 and after was ruled by KMT until 1949, when this party has been defeated by the gong chang dang (共产党 or Communists). It was Chiang Kai-shek who considered himself still as the legitimate leader of all Chinese, but in exile on a Chinese province, called Taiwan. His "Republic of China" did not mean Taiwan as a province, but basically the mainland China, that he wanted to win back either militarilly or peacefully.
Just keep in mind the two German states that remerged together into one single state after the wall of Berlin was destroyed in 1989.
The problem between China and Taiwan is mainly the problem between two dictators, Chiang Kai-shek with his KMT on one side and Mao Zedong with the Communists on the other. Both always considered there were only one China and Taiwan was considered by both as a Chinese province.
Now there is within Taiwan a new force of mainly Taiwanese born who would have no real ties with mainland China, but they are opposed to the KMT refugees and still are in minority.
Officially, Taiwan still is a province of China and the "Republic of China", that was mainland China's official name between 1912 and 1949 continued to exist on exile, while the mainland changed its name in "Peoples Republic of China". Google Map described Taiwan properly by international legal standards, as Taiwan officially still is a province!

__________________
theglobalchinese - Welcome to the News Community

I looked at the Google maps today and they have Taiwan labeled just as if it was NOT part of China--so perhaps they made that change due to the criticisms--but not sure if they are different on the Taiwan version of Google--haven't checked yet.

After the Nationalist Government fled to the island of Taiwan in 1949 they re-established themselves as the Republic of China, continuing to assert that they and they alone constituted the legal government of all of China. Taiwan had recently been recovered from Japan after over 50 years of occupation. It had been ceded to Japan following a military defeat of Chinese Imperial forces. It was a singularly bloody period in the history of the Nationalists who mercilessly suppressed the native populations of Taiwan, including native Taiwanese and ethnic Chinese who had migrated there over five centuries.

Taiwan became an island fortress from which the Nationalists hoped to one day emerge to reconquer the Communist government on the Mainland and return to power. It was regarded as no more than a province by the Nationalists and Communists alike. The Communist government lacked sufficient military power to successfully launch and invasion of the island to dislodge the Nationalists who persisted in their claim to be the sole government of all of China. They were supported in this fantasy at the time by the U.S. Government which continued to maintain, as it has until today, that Taiwan is a province of China (or will not say otherwise) and that there is only one government of all of China. Albeit, our government shifted its recognition of that government to Mainland China. Taiwan's status then changed, for all intents and purposes, to a de facto protectorate of the U.S. subject to the transitory whims of U.S. foreign policy in the region.

It has only been a few years since the dictatorial governments of the Nationalists under Chiang Kai Shek and his son, China Ching Kuo have evolved into a true semblance of democracy as we define it. The de-recognition of the Nationalist Government and replacement in all international bodies by that of the Mainland Government couple with the eventual US recognition of that status left the government on Taiwan in a virtual vacuum, unloved and unwanted.

Nature decries a vacuum, consequently Taiwan has been in a state of flux between those who favor outright independence from China and those who hope for an eventual rapprochment with the Mainland government which would likely take the form of that
granted to Hong Kong after it was relinquished by Great Britain, a self governing Special Administrative Region. The pro-
independence faction on Taiwan is dominated by ethnic Taiwanese and the long term Han Chinese population who emigrated long ago and have no enduring ties to the Mainland population.

The tradition of kinship and loyalty to one's place of birth is one of the most compelling of Chinese social factors. A common form of introduction among the Chinese is, "Nin laojia zai nar?", or "Where is your old home?", irrespective of where you are living now or how you came to be there. Taiwan is in fact a major source of tourists visiting the Mainland for both cultural and family reasons.

It is hard to beat the Chinese in the use of semantics and polemics. Taiwan was originally settled by the Mainland Chinese in large numbers following the fall of the Ming Dynasty to the Manchus approximately 500 years ago when they fled to avoid the invading armies of the Ching Dynasty. It eventually came under the sway of the imperial government, becoming an adjunct to the nearby Chinese province of Fujian. Thus it remained until it was occupied by the Japanese in 1895 during the final days of the decline and fall of the Ching Dynasty which was finally overthrown by the Nationalists in 1911. Its status was undecided during the brief period following the defeat of Japan while China was engaged in civil war between Nationalist and Communist forces, eventually becoming a province following the flight of Nationalists.

The Nationalists continued to enjoy recognition as the government of China for a number of years due to the acceptance of the principle that only one government could speak for the Chinese in world bodies. Taiwan was thus recognized solely as a
province of China and the seat of the Nationalist government. During the Nixon Administration the recognition of the government in Beijing became effective and the Nationalists were stripped of their status in world bodies and diplomacy in
general. The status of Taiwan as a province of China, however was not changed.

Google was absolutely correct in its description of Taiwan as a province of China. Until such time as a definitive change in that status has transpired, recognized by the world community, so it shall remain. It may be interesting to note that the United States does not diplomatically recognize the government of Taiwan. Lacking another name to describe the island and its government it is referred to as: conventional long form: none; conventional short form: Taiwan; local long form: none; local short form: T'ai-wan; former: Formosa.

The subject of the status of Taiwan is undoubtedly controversial with all parties to it engaged in an ongoing tug of war with no certainty as to how it will eventually evolve. Given the Chinese propensity to wear down the opposition with long term negotiation, call it haggling if you will, broken by periods of silence and interrupted by harsh words, I think that there will be a rapprochement owing to the Chinese desire to maintain a unified culture in spite of political differences. Time will tell. As with all family squabbles, it is often best to keep your nose out of them.

Taiwan is a province of China as the Japanese, who occupied Taiwan until 1945, had to give it back to China. China used to be an empire until 1911 and after was ruled by KMT until 1949, when this party has been defeated by the gong chang dang (共产党 or Communists). It was Chiang Kai-shek who considered himself still as the legitimate leader of all Chinese, but in exile on a Chinese province, called Taiwan. His "Republic of China" did not mean Taiwan as a province, but basically the mainland China, that he wanted to win back either militarilly or peacefully.
Just keep in mind the two German states that remerged together into one single state after the wall of Berlin was destroyed in 1989.
The problem between China and Taiwan is mainly the problem between two dictators, Chiang Kai-shek with his KMT on one side and Mao Zedong with the Communists on the other. Both always considered there were only one China and Taiwan was considered by both as a Chinese province.
Now there is within Taiwan a new force of mainly Taiwanese born who had no real ties with mainland China, but they are opposed to the KMT refugees and still are in minority.
Officially, Taiwan still is a province of China and the "Republic of China", that was mainland China's official name between 1912 and 1949 continued to exist on exile, while the mainland changed its name in "Peoples Republic of China". Google Map described Taiwan properly by international legal standards, as Taiwan officially still is a province!

__________________
theglobalchinese - Welcome to the News Community

WebProNews, back on May 10, 2005, asked, "Can a Search Engine Be Biased?", then went on to describe apparent bias in Google's results. To quote:

There are also a couple of news stories - which I found by Googling "Google China Web Sites" which bear scrutiny:

http://news.com.com/2100-1023-963132.html

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/36818.html

It's not hard to imagine Google showing Taiwan as a "province of China," because the lure of revenue in the world's largest emerging market means kowtowing - what a delicious word to use that is! - to the Communist government.

I'm critical of Google because they are an American company, benefitting from the American system of government and economics all along their corporate history, yet they are willing to change or ignore that to gain market access. It shows a certain lack of integrity, a certain willingness to put politics over principle. I think any company that trades a measure of "integrity" for mere dollars deserves a measure of scorn, to make up the deficit.

Google's keyword is "relevance," but we're learning that it's relevance, filtered the way they want it to be filtered, not the way reality might be, or the way you think it should be. That's an eye opener.

That's interesting. Chinese has a much longer history than America. So 50 years is 1/6 of US history but it is less than 1/60 in Chinese history. So as a Chinese, I think it is a short time. I understand some Americans think it's a long time.

Chinese has been the strongest country in history for thousands of year until 300 years ago, or maybe 200 years ago. US is just the strongest after the second world wide war. It's about 60 years now. Maybe it will continue to be the strongest for a while, but as I know, it will not last for another 60 years. It will just like the British. It may still be one of the strongest country, but it will not the strongest.

The reason why America are declining is simply the same as why China declined 300 years ago. And Americans are too proud to listen to the correct answer. They think they are super correct. Chinese people made that mistake 300 years ago. But we learned from the lesson. And the Americans do NOT want to learn the lesson from others. They will walk on the same path as we did 300 years ago. Some day, they will learn it from their own lessons.

This is just an example how Americans think. They don't know Taiwan's history and China's history. And they don't want to learn. All they like is to critize based on what they think they know, which is nothing or wrong information.

Taiwan, former Formosa was a part of Portugal. Since 1945 Formosa now Taiwan has to be seen as an independent state. It is a political scandale that Taiwan has not yet been recognized by most of the countries. A kind of one of these chinese political blackmail.

I am not a Chinese or any other asiatian habitant. I am just an old European with a good sense of historical view.[/b]

I have written some interesting facts here that not many people knew.

Instead of China developing its country, they spend all these time and resources undermining Taiwan.

Look at Taiwan now, a thriving democracy with 23million people, the world's 14th largest economy, 3rd largest foreign reserve in the world. All achieved without international recognition.

Just compare the quality of products that come out of Taiwan and China. And many International economists predict that the fall of the China's economic rise is emminent.

If China really believed in Communism, why do they open their market to the world. Without foreign investments, China will not survive.

Taiwan have invested USD $40 billion since 2001 into China. Taiwan built most of Shanghai for them, and yet China proudly shows to the world they they are prosperous. Taiwan donated USD $80 million (8th largest amount in the world) to the victims of the Tsunami and how much did China donate?

The Chinese propaganda would have you believe that Taiwan was and is a part of China. They have textbooks for this too. To brainwash their young population from the earliest age possible. All from a country where you'll need government authority just to breathe.

If Taiwan is a province of China, then someone please tell me, what rule or authority in anything does China have control over Taiwan?

The Chinese Nationalists did not exile or run to Taiwan on their own will, they were instructed by the U.S Military Government under General Macarthar to take temporary post there, therefore the USMG have true sovereignty over Taiwan. Japan's loss in the WWII does not cede Taiwan over to China because under international law "military occupation does not shift sovereignty".

Oh, and the "one china policy". This policy was designed by the U.S government to keep peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. Simply put, the U.S acknowledges this 'one china policy' but does not recognise it, that's why the Taiwan Relations Act is embedded in the U.S's constitution (to protect Taiwan, to sell arms of defensive nature to Taiwan etc etc.)

The Taiwanese president challenged the Chinese president for a world live conference debate endorsed by the United Nations to tell the world on their points of views (Taiwan is not a part of China - China claims Taiwan is a part of China). But the Chinese president refused to take part in this UN live debate, he told the Taiwanese president the only way he'll will take part in this debate is for the Taiwanese president to admit that Taiwan is a part of China first. Yes, that's pretty funny because that statement just defied the purpose of the meaning of a 'debate'.

The sovereignty definition clause in the UN Charter is somewhat confusing. In the clause to define if a 'state' is sovereign; a state must have 1. a permanent population 2. a government 3. a military 4. the capacity to engage in bi-lateral agreements with other nations.

Taiwan has a permanent population of 23 million. A democratic government (Democratic Progressive Party). A military (5th largest in the world). Taiwan has 26 diplomatic allies around the world.

So I don't know what happened there with UN's definition clause.

All the Chinese can say is that all Taiwanese ancestors came from China (apart from the Taiwanese Natives), that we share the same culture, food, blood so on so on. This points are their strongest arguments ever used amongst the less educated - most younger generations.

Look, what is an Australian then? According to the Chinese' wisdom, Australian's are really British. Then why does Australian's regard themselves as Australians, not British. Where you come from originally does not matter, it's the identification with the land that you are brought up.

Regarding same culture and food etc. Why don't McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, Burger King, KFC, Red Rooster operate under 1 name, since they are all the same kind of unhealthy oily foods.

I think I wrote too much already. Actually I have more to say. I hope Google management or some foreign policy journalists read this.

I'm sure I'll get a lot of younger Chinese people responding to this, don't bother if you don't have any solid / valid points to mention.

Laters all![/b]

I have written some interesting facts here that not many people knew.

Instead of China developing its country, they spend all these time and resources undermining Taiwan.

Look at Taiwan now, a thriving democracy with 23million people, the world's 14th largest economy, 3rd largest foreign reserve in the world. All achieved without international recognition.

Just compare the quality of products that come out of Taiwan and China. And many International economists predict that the fall of the China's economic rise is emminent.

If China really believed in Communism, why do they open their market to the world. Without foreign investments, China will not survive.

Taiwan have invested USD $40 billion since 2001 into China. Taiwan built most of Shanghai for them, and yet China proudly shows to the world they they are prosperous. Taiwan donated USD $80 million (8th largest amount in the world) to the victims of the Tsunami and how much did China donate?

The Chinese propaganda would have you believe that Taiwan was and is a part of China. They have textbooks for this too. To brainwash their young population from the earliest age possible. All from a country where you'll need government authority just to breathe.

If Taiwan is a province of China, then someone please tell me, what rule or authority in anything does China have control over Taiwan?

The Chinese Nationalists did not exile or run to Taiwan on their own will, they were instructed by the U.S Military Government under General Macarthar to take temporary post there, therefore the USMG have true sovereignty over Taiwan. Japan's loss in the WWII does not cede Taiwan over to China because under international law "military occupation does not shift sovereignty".

Oh, and the "one china policy". This policy was designed by the U.S government to keep peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region. Simply put, the U.S acknowledges this 'one china policy' but does not recognise it, that's why the Taiwan Relations Act is embedded in the U.S's constitution (to protect Taiwan, to sell arms of defensive nature to Taiwan etc etc.)

The Taiwanese president challenged the Chinese president for a world live conference debate endorsed by the United Nations to tell the world on their points of views (Taiwan is not a part of China - China claims Taiwan is a part of China). But the Chinese president refused to take part in this UN live debate, he told the Taiwanese president the only way he'll will take part in this debate is for the Taiwanese president to admit that Taiwan is a part of China first. Yes, that's pretty funny because that statement just defied the purpose of the meaning of a 'debate'.

The sovereignty definition clause in the UN Charter is somewhat confusing. In the clause to define if a 'state' is sovereign; a state must have 1. a permanent population 2. a government 3. a military 4. the capacity to engage in bi-lateral agreements with other nations.

Taiwan has a permanent population of 23 million. A democratic government (Democratic Progressive Party). A military (5th largest in the world). Taiwan has 26 diplomatic allies around the world.

So I don't know what happened there with UN's definition clause.

All the Chinese can say is that all Taiwanese ancestors came from China (apart from the Taiwanese Natives), that we share the same culture, food, blood so on so on. This points are their strongest arguments ever used amongst the less educated - most younger generations.

Look, what is an Australian then? According to the Chinese' wisdom, Australian's are really British. Then why does Australian's regard themselves as Australians, not British. Where you come from originally does not matter, it's the identification with the land that you are brought up.

Regarding same culture and food etc. Why don't McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, Burger King, KFC, Red Rooster operate under 1 name, since they are all the same kind of unhealthy oily foods.

I think I wrote too much already. Actually I have more to say. I hope Google management or some foreign policy journalists read this.

I'm sure I'll get a lot of younger Chinese people responding to this, don't bother if you don't have any solid / valid points to mention.

Laters all!

If Google does like MicroSoft and most other unpatriotic US corporations they probably outsourced Google maps to China.

kinggeek,

you seems like make a lot of points. I disagree most of your points. But right now I just want to pick one point to argue.

Basicly you said "Without foreign investments, China will not survive.".

That is ridiculous. If a country can not survive without foreigh people invest, why people bother investing there? There are a lot of countries in the world welcome investment, China is just one of them. Why don't people just put all these money into your country? By the way, what is your country?