Taiwanese baristas to compete as 'Chinese Taipei': Association

Taipei, April 29 (CNA) The Taiwan Coffee Association said Wednesday Taiwanese competitors will compete under the name "Chinese Taipei" in events organized by the World Coffee Championships (WCC), calling the change an unavoidable condition to safeguard participation rights.

In a statement, the association said it had been informed by WCC organizers, based in the U.S., that all future entries must use "Chinese Taipei," instead of "Taiwan."

The group noted that Taiwanese competitors have participated under the name "Taiwan" since 2007, but stressed the change was not its own decision and must be followed to ensure continued participation in international events.

The association said the adjustment is guided by three principles: protecting competitors' rights to compete, maintaining consistency with international competition rules, and promoting professional exchange and industry development.

It added that Taiwan's participation in global competitions often follows practices similar to international sporting events, adopting neutral designations to reduce non-professional interference and allow competitors to focus on performance.

Taiwan regularly takes part in six major WCC events, including barista, brewing, roasting, latte art, cup tasters and coffee in good spirits competitions, with winners of domestic contests representing Taiwan abroad.

The issue drew attention after the WCC website recently changed references to Taiwanese competitors, including this year's World Latte Art Championship winner Lin Shao-hsing (林紹興), also known as Bala, as being from "Taiwan" to "Chinese Taipei."

Responding to the change, Berg Wu (吳則霖), winner of the 2016 World Barista Championship, said the designation goes beyond a simple wording change.

"Taiwan is not just a name. It is an identity and a shared memory built by many competitors, coaches, judges, cafes, roasters, and all the consumers who have supported us along the way," Wu wrote on Facebook.

He said that while international organizations may face external pressures, such changes should be communicated transparently with competitors and the broader coffee community.

Wu added that global competitions should respect competitors' origins and how they wish to be recognized, saying, "I come from Taiwan, and I hope future Taiwanese competitors can be recognized by the world as Taiwan."