Taiwan Protests To Google Over Maps
October 04, 2005
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4 October 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Taiwan's government has asked Web search company Google, Inc., to stop calling the self-ruled island a "province of China" on its Google Maps service.
China and Taiwan split in a civil war that ended in 1949.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has threatened to attack the island if it pushes for formal statehood.
Taiwan maintains it is a sovereign, independent state that is officially called the Republic of China.
A Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokesman said the ministry had contacted Google and asked them to correct their description. The ministry has not received a response from Google.
Taiwan is recognized by only 26 states in the world and has no seat at the United Nations.
(Reuters)