By an OGJ correspondent
TAIPEI, Feb. 13 -- Amid a flurry of controversy, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MEA) has ordered state-run Chinese Petroleum Corp. to change its name. According to a statement issued by the minister of economics, the company's English name will be CPC Corp. Taiwan, and its name in Chinese will be Taiwanese Petroleum.
An MEA spokesman said the name-change decision is not politically motivated but intended as a way to more easily distinguish the Taiwanese company from oil firms in China with similar names. Opposition politicians, however, claim the change is only one more step in the long-term policy of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party to establish Taiwan's independence from China.
The name change is almost certain to infuriate high-ranking Chinese officials who will likewise view the move as a step toward Taiwan independence.
The US has expressed displeasure at the move, with US Department of State spokesman Sean McCormack saying the US does not support administrative steps taken by Taiwan authorities that would appear to change Taiwan's status unilaterally or move toward independence.
McCormak added that the changes could affect Taiwan's relationship with others, a statement that opposition party politicians in Taiwan are saying could be a possible warning that Taiwan-US ties could suffer if the name change goes ahead.
