When the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office changed its name to Netherlands Office Taipei, Chinese officials were enraged threatening to stop sending medical aid.
The terse response to the name change which include the word Taipei warns to ditch Dutch products for Chinese consumers, worse was cutting off medical assistance that the Dutch needed for their coronavirus cases back home.
According to the Dutch representative in Taipei, Guy Wittich, the new name as "little bit less, but a lot more." A video was released on Monday evening, though it was removed later, wherein the Dutch Rep said the name is changed to make it simple and was so because it encompassed the activities, which both countries were doing jointly.
The words "trade and investment" were omitted because the dealings with the Netherlands and Taipei were expanded. In a spread of eight years, the Australian, British, Japanese, and Polish representative offices have made the names simple, especially the de facto embassies they have in Taiwan. This was explained by Wittich to enlighten everyone about the name change that Beijing objected to.
Chinese embassy officials in the Netherlands, on Tuesday, were expecting an independent state to explain why it changed name, but the Dutch government reserved itself from explaining to another country an internal matter to itself. Coming short of interloping, the embassy expected the Netherlands to conform to its definition of the "one China Principal"
The Global Times of China on Tuesday cited analysts that the announcement came on Netherlands' King's Day (April 27), a commemoration when Taiwan was a Dutch colony in the 17th century. Global Times made insinuations that the name change is about former glory but it might humiliate the island nation.
More reports from the Global Times was released on the same day, with saying that the name change is a "provocative move" and is "destructive to regional stability" and would "likely face a backlash."
Claims were made that Chinese netizens who did not have access to social media were demanding that Chinese companies stop sending supplies to the Netherlands. Whether it was actual or is not verified, Beijing controls China.
More claims are not verified like the Chinese saying they will boycott Dutch products, and cancel going to Holland. Some even allegedly posted icons of Ming Dynasty leader Zheng Chenggong, who defeated the Dutch in one post saying, "Although he was from the Ming dynasty, many of his descendants are still here, just across the Taiwan Straits."
A communist mouthpiece, mentioned Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, which stressed that the Netherlands' intent was on improving relations with Taiwan. It also said that interference of Chinese internal will not be met, and against regional stability, claiming it will muddle effort to contain COVID-19. Words were expressed that the independent country of Taiwan and its Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of bowing to foreign countries to realize its goal of Taiwan independence.
Li added that interference by the Dutch will disadvantage already independent Taiwan. Next China might cut aid for the Netherlands.
China cutting medical supplies as a threat is impotent, with 600,00 substandard masks sent back to them. Many Chinese made low quality medical gear, including what was expressed earlier. Taiwan has been stepping up and producing PPEs that are better quality without strings attached.
