Bob at the Beijing Olympics Blog has some remarks about naming Taiwan’s Olympic team.

Attending an Olympic Games hosted by China was always going to throw up some interesting challenges for the Taiwanese team, and the China鈥� Taiwan Affairs office have decided to spice things up. The controversy revolves around the name that Taiwan competes under at the Olympics鈥�

The situation is this: in 1989 China and Taiwan agreed that the latter would be referred to as Zhonghua Taipei (涓�鍗庡彴鍖�) which translates as Chinese Taipei. Bob鈥檚 understanding is that Zhonghua does mean 鈥楥hina鈥� but is not used to refer to the nation that we know today. This week however 鈥淵ang Yi of China鈥檚 Taiwan Affairs Office has suggested that Zhongguo Taipei (涓�鍥藉彴鍖�) is just as valid as an Olympic designator鈥� (via Shanghaiist). Zhongguo being the name used to refer to modern China, as we know it.

The implication of the change in semantics is probably best put; it鈥檚 like changing from 鈥楥hinese Taipei鈥� to 鈥楥hina鈥檚 Taipei鈥�.

I’ve got to admit that with my limited Chinese, both zhonghua and zhongguo would be translated “of China”, but it’s an interesting distinction. But if this is the extent of Chinese-Taiwanese tensions, that’s pretty good.

I think the perfect solution is to allow Taiwan their own Olympic team, but then count the medals towards China’s total!

Via Taiwan鈥檚 Olympic Name - Chinese Taipei or China鈥檚 Taipei? 芦 Beijing Olympics Blog