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Article published In: Journal of Language and Politics
Vol. 10:3 (2011) ► pp.396–415

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Naming China

Taiwan’s National Day speeches as identity politics

 | University of Illinois at Chicago
 | Northern Illinois University
Published online: 31 October 2011
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.10.3.05cha
In the article, we analyze how names for China are used by five ROC presidents in National Day speeches over 58 years (1949–2007), including “communist bandits”; “Chinese communists”; “mainland” and “opposite shore/both shores”; “China”; and “People’s Republic of China.” Each name registers unique historicity and each displays associated expressions, reshuffling power structures and allowing negotiation of ideological positioning. Sometimes overlapping, sometimes joining at edges, these names cleave to inconsistent layers of meaning, helping presidents negotiate courses of action in Taiwan’s yet-to-be-resolved political identity.
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