Taiwan happy after China reference removed

TAIPEI • Taiwan's Foreign Ministry yesterday thanked Qatar World Cup organisers after they removed a reference to China for Taiwanese visitors applying for an identification card that doubles as an entry visa.

Qatar is expecting more than one million fans to visit during the tournament. All World Cup ticket holders must apply for the Hayya card - which grants them entry into the country and stadiums for the Nov 21-Dec 18 showpiece - but Taiwan's government expressed outrage after discovering the online application system made no mention of the island.

It was listed as "Taiwan, Province of China", terminology that angers Taiwan's government and many of its people. Late on Wednesday, the system began listing the island simply as "Taiwan", complete with the Taiwanese flag.

However, Bloomberg reported that a separate section of the app, where users are requested to enter where they currently live, continued to include "Taiwan, Province of China".

Still, it marks a rare victory for Taiwan, whose government and people often bristle at China's sovereignty claims.

Taiwan foreign ministry spokesman Joanne Ou told reporters this was a "positive development" and also expressed appreciation for the fast reaction by the organisers. She added: "We express our thanks and affirmation for this goodwill."

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin insisted that "Taiwan is part of China" when asked about the change, adding that the one-China principle was a "basic norm" of international relations.

"We believe that the relevant parties will... resolve this matter in accordance with the consistent methods for international sporting competitions," he said.

Taiwan, which has never fielded a team at the World Cup, had said that identifying its citizens as Chinese "belittles our country".

It had asked the organisers to fix the issue immediately to "respect the rights and dignity of Taiwanese fans who plan to go and watch the games", Ou said.

The Hayya card has landed the organisers in the middle of one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical disputes. While Beijing claims the island as part of its territory, democratically-ruled Taiwan rejects being a part of the People's Republic of China, asserting it is a de facto independent country.

China, which also did not qualify for Qatar 2022, and Taiwan are separate members of Fifa, with Taiwan competing in international competitions under the name Chinese Taipei.

BLOOMBERG, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS