Taiwan gov’t publication in simplified characters
Posted by Pinyin Info on 21 Sep 2005 at 11:11 pm | Tagged as: Chinese, Chinese characters, Mandarin, Taiwan
The Taipei Times reported on Tuesday that the recent printing of “Taipei’s Olive Branches,” a pamphlet highlighting Taiwan’s offers of goodwill toward China, marks “the first time that a [Taiwan] government publication has been issued in simplified Chinese characters.”
I’d be a little surprised if this is so. After all, for several years Taiwan has had some official government Web sites available in simplified characters, such as that of the Office of the President.
Regardless, this certainly doesn’t mean that Taiwan is about to switch to simplified characters. Most people here in Taiwan regard them as uncultured and downright ugly. On the other hand, plenty of people in China would be happy to be able to hang their signs in traditional Chinese characters.
source: MAC [Mainland Affairs Council] offers olive branches to Chinese visitors
[...] Doesn’t Taipei think PRC tourists would get more than enough opportunities here in Taiwan to see traditional Chinese characters without making it harder for them to read tourist maps and tourist brochures? After all, even the DPP-run central government, which can hardly be accused of being friendly to China, has allowed government brochures and Web sites in simplified characters. [...]