US opposes name changes for some Taiwanese firms

WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) The United States made clear it would oppose any steps by Taiwan to change the names of state-owned enterprises to eliminate the word ''China'' and to replace the phrase ''Taiwan province'' with ''Taiwan.'' The position taken by the US State Department aimed to prevent tensions from rising between Taiwan, a self-governed democracy of 23 million people, and China, which regards the island as a renegade province.

Taiwan's ruling party on January 31 passed a resolution calling for the elimination of the word ''China'' from names of state-run firms that were founded in the days when the island's government claimed sovereignty over its giant neighbor.

The Democratic Progressive Party, which favors Taiwan independence and controls Taiwan's presidency and a large minority of parliament, also recommended replacing the words ''Taiwan province'' from state company names to say ''Taiwan.'' Taiwan was legally a province under the Taiwanese government that regarded China as part of its jurisdiction.

Such moves are bound to anger Beijing, which has vowed to bring the self-governing democracy back under mainland rule, by force if necessary. Taiwan has been ruled separately since 1949 when the defeated Nationalists fled there after losing China's civil war.

''We do not support administrative steps by the Taiwan authorities that would appear to change Taiwan's status unilaterally or move toward independence,'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. ''The United States does not, for instance, support changes in terminology for entities administered by the Taiwan authorities.'' REUTERS DKS BST0608