Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has repeated his suggestion that Taiwan change its name from the Republic of China (ROC) to Taiwan because ROC indicates Taiwan is part of China, Taiwan press said on Saturday. Speaking to Taiwanese reporters during a visit to Belize, Chen said he disapproved of calling Taiwan ROC on international occasions because he said ROC was confusing. "The acronym for Repubic of Congo, Republic of Chile and Republic of Casino are also ROC ... so foreign countries don't know what ROC is," Taiwan newspapers quoted Chen as saying. "Taiwan is Taiwan. It is very clear. ROC is in Taiwan, ROC is Taiwan. If we use the name Taiwan, everyone will know where our country is," Chen said. Chen visited Belize after attending Wednesday's inauguration of Panama's President Martin Torrijos. Chen's remark underlines Taiwan's resolve to change its name from ROC to Taiwan to show it is a sovereign state, not a province of China. Mainland China's ruling Communist Party said Chen's remarks showed his desire to promote formal independence for the island, which Beijing has said would lead to war. "Chen's remarks lay bare his separatist nature and his desire to promote the independence of China's Taiwan province," state media quoted a spokesman for the government's Taiwan Affairs Office as saying. "Chen's pro-independence position is unacceptable and can never succeed," the spokesman said. --more 1337 Local Time 1037 GMT
