Chinese Taipei Isn't "Officially" Called Taiwan During the 2010 Winter Olympics

Chinese Taipei, what Americans call Taiwan, marched out into BC Place to the cheers of some 60,000 Olympic fans during the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies Parade of Nations on NBC Friday night. The name Chinese Taipei has a very convoluted history that has to do with its long, historical conflict the People's Republic of China and its relationship to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), according to Wikipedia. In 2000, I visited China, and have my own story about Chinese Taipei that I was reminded of when I saw the delegation march during the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies. It tells you just how disputed this issue is between China and Taiwan, and how politics is ever so present in the supposedly non-political Olympic Games.

Chinese Taipei, "not" Taiwan, Marches in the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies: What's in a Name?

The one athlete and delegation of Chinese Taipei marched out between Switzerland and Tajikistan, with Bob Costas stating that this nation has a "special Olympic flag based on an agreement between the IOC and China". So even though their Olympics name begins with "C", they marched in the Parade of Nations as if they were Taiwan, at least, in the alphabetical order of things without actually being called Taiwan.

When I visited the People's Republic of China in 2000, I had my own interesting run ins over the issue between China and Taiwan. My tour group and I were in a shop looking at some very nicely-crafted globes. They were color-coded to show each country. Well, Taiwan was the same color as mainland China, and I commented on that, saying that in my Chinese guidebook, that Taiwan, a.k.a. Chinese Taipei, was colored different than the People's Republic of China. The official there looked at the book and he exclaimed surprise at this, because the Chinese believe they are the rulers over Taiwan. On on of our train trips, the discussion came up again with another Chinese man, and finally, the man told me about this issue of China and Taiwan, "If you stay here a few months, you'll come around to our way of thinking." I left days later.

Yes, this issue of the name Chinese Taipei is rooted in politics, and even the 2010 Olympic Games aren't exempt from those considerations.

Sources for this article about Chinese Taipei participating in the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies:

Opening Ceremonies, XXI Winter Olympics, February 12, 2010, NBC

Chinese Taipei: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Taipei, Wikipedia