The District of Hope is refusing to take part in international politics and will fly both China's and Taiwan's flags.
Council agreed to reinstate the Taiwanese flag at Memorial Park's international signpost in order to foster "inclusivity, respect and cultural diversity within the community." The decision was made during the Aug. 11 council meeting after reviewing emails that Mayor Victor Smith received about the flag over the past year.
The Taiwanese flag was removed last August after Mayor Smith received an email from Liu Diyi, the vice-consul for the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Vancouver. In it, Liu said that Taiwan's existence was at the heart of "China's core interests" and that flying the Taiwanese flag posed sensitivity and diplomatic issues.
"There is but one China in the world, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," Liu said. "The One-China principle is a prevailing international consensus and a basic norm governing international relations.
"In view of this, the flag of the so-called 'Republic of China' or 'Taiwan' can never be used in public places in Canada, especially when it appears together with national flags of other countries."
Taiwan's flag, which was officially adopted by the nation in 1945, is described as having a red background, or field, with a blue canton bearing a white disk surrounded by 12 triangles. The disk and triangles symbolize the sun.
The history of Taiwan's sovereignty and political identity, with regards to its relationship to China, spans over 80 years. It first started in 1945 after the Second World War, when Japan allegedly transferred the island to the Republic of China (ROC). It was then exacerbated when Chiang Kai-Shek and the Republic of China party relocated to Taiwan in 1949, following its defeat to the Chinese Communist Party at the end of the Chinese civil war.
China, which is run by the Chinese Communist Party, claims Taiwan as part of its territory and does not acknowledge the sovereignty of the ROC under its One-China policy. The United Nations recognized this decision in 1971, which led to Taiwan being kicked out of the UN.
In the decades following this decision, Taiwan has been reasserting its independence as a free nation.
Smith told Liu the district would make the correction out of respect to Canada's official "One-China policy." The flag's removal went unnoticed until last month.
At the beginning of July of this year, Smith was sent an email from Taiwanese visitor Chuyun (Yoco) Lin who asked the district to reconsider their decision and reinstate the flag. In that email, Lin pointed out that Hope is frequented by Taiwanese tourists each year and that raising the flag again would provide a "meaningful gesture of welcome and recognition."
"I would be more than willing to donate funds to assist in creating a new Taiwan flag sign and securing it properly on a flagpole," Chuyun said. "It would be an honour to contribute in this small way to a town that has inspired so many of us to travel and connect with Canada."
The district also received an email from Lihsin Angel Liu, the director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver or Taiwan's de facto Consul General in Vancouver. In that email, Lihsin expressed concerns over the flag's removal and that it goes against the "current trajectory of Taiwan's bilateral relations."
In particular, Lihsin pointed out that despite the One-China policy, Canada maintains a strong relationship with Taiwan, especially as a key partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy. This is a policy that aims to build resilience and stability against authoritarianism.
It was also brought to the district's attention that B.C. had just recently established July as Taiwanese Heritage month.
After reviewing the issue with staff, it was decided that reinstating the flag would help to symbolize a "commitment to democratic values, the right to self-expression, and the fostering of people-to-people connections, without implying formal diplomatic recognition or contravening Canada鈥檚 official policies."
"We are looking to do more business with both the People's Republic of China and Taiwan," said Mayor Victor Smith. "We need to fly both countries' flags as we recognize that the people themselves are not engaged in these political battles, which are at the federal level.
"The District of Hope is not the arena to get into a political fight, as we are about dealing with all people at our level and wish to be welcoming."
