Former track and field athlete Chi Cheng is launching a fresh push to change Taiwan''s Olympic name. Chi, who won bronze in hurdles at the 1968 Olympics, plans to petition for another referendum on changing "Chinese Taipei" to "Taiwan." She had unsuccessfully promoted the same referendum once before, in 2018. Experts say that with global sentiment turning against Beijing, the time is ripe to act if Taiwan wants to see change.

The BBC headline reads, “Three countries that can’t participate in the Olympics under their own name.” Taiwan is first on the list. According to the BBC’s Chinese-language report, the name “Chinese Taipei” often confuses global audiences, leading some international news outlets to simply use “Taiwan.” It cites an article emphasizing that in all respects, Taiwan is an independent country, separate from the People’s Republic of China. Chi, a former Olympian, agrees. Once again, she wants to launch a referendum on changing Taiwan’s Olympic name in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Voice of Chi Cheng
Former Olympian
None of us Taiwanese people want our national team to be introduced as Chinese Taipei. Let’s have a referendum. Let us succeed in rectifying our name.

Chi launched this referendum once before, in 2018. The result fell short of hopes, with 1 million more people voting against the name change than for it. In 2018, weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun publicly opposed the referendum. Athletes feared that changing the name would trigger Chinese ire and affect their right to compete.

Chang Po-yang
Taiwan Statebuilding Party official
Even when your Olympic name is Chinese Taipei, they say you’re a Taipei that’s Chinese, using the name to suppress you. If you call yourself Taiwan, they will call you China’s Taiwan province, and use your new name to suppress you. Since you will be suppressed either way, why not be forthright and adopt an Olympic name that truly represents Taiwan?

Yu Pei-chen
Retired army major general
China is exercising its wolf-warrior diplomacy across the world, and the world is becoming increasingly resentful. Japan, Germany, the U.S., South Korea, and even Russia have all taken the lead in putting our national flag in international media. What are we all waiting for? The time is ripe. If we don’t act now, when will there be a better time?

People across the political divide say they stand behind Team Taiwan. Under the latest laws, passing a referendum by 2024 will require a broad societal consensus.