Petition Calls for Swedish Tax Office to Remove Designation of Taiwan as “Province of China”

The Swedish Taiwanese Friendship Association has launched a petition to demand the Swedish Tax Office remove the designation of Taiwan as a province of China. The tax office announced it would change the name starting today, March 12, 2018. Ironically, the tax office announcement was made February 28 this year, on the anniversary of the “228 Incident.”

The STFA petition calls the term “Taiwan, Province of China” offensive.

The Swedish Tax Office claims that the name change is a purely administrative measure to conform to ISO 3166.

However, the petitioners point out that the ISO code was formulated against the will of Taiwan, which is denied UN membership, due to pressure from China; and that the practice is offensive to the majority of Taiwanese, including Taiwanese residents of Sweden.

According to a Liberty Times report, Taiwanese resident of Sweden, Huang Xiaoyan, actively urges Taiwan’s relatives and friends to assist in the petition, and request the Swedish government to remove the designation “Taiwan, Province of China”.

Huang Xiaoxuan said that when she does not wish to apply for a certificate that changes her birthplace into a province in China. Sweden is a neutral country and she hopes it abides from the standpoint of democracy and freedom.

The petition can be signed here.

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