[cooperation-wg] Discuss ISO-3166 mark TAIWAN as a Provinces of China on the RIPE NCC website

Dear Olivier,

Thank you for your detailed explanation regarding the ISO 3166 standards
and the process by which names and codes are assigned. It's very useful.

I understand that the ISO 3166 list is based on sources from the United
Nations, which RIPE, ICANN gTLD, and many other organizations, follow. But
you may know that the ISO 3166 standard contains three parts. (ISO 3166-1,
ISO 3166-2, ISO 3166-3). I think using ISO 3166-1 as the Country code does
not have any dispute. However, the RIPE NCC uses ISO 3166-2 as the country
name which marks TAIWAN as a PROVINCE OF CHINA. That's why I am concerned.

I'd like to highlight the importance of recognizing the diverse
perspectives that exist within the international community regarding
certain regions, including Taiwan.

As noted in my original message, other organizations, such as APNIC and
ICANN, have adopted alternative approaches to reference Taiwan. These
approaches aim to avoid political sensitivities and foster an inclusive
environment, something I believe is crucial in global Internet Governance.
(FYI, APNIC scrupulously uses "Economy" instead of "Country", perhaps
because of Chinese sensitivities.)

Accuracy and respect in the naming and classification of regions are
paramount. By considering alternative approaches that reflect the diversity
of geographical and cultural identities, we can promote a more inclusive
and respectful international dialogue.

Best,
Tsung-Yi Yu

On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 4:00 AM Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond <ocl at gih.com>
wrote:

> Dear Tsung-Yi Yu,
>
> as I've been interested in ISO 3166 matters since the early nineties, let
> me try and respond simply to this.
> The ISO 3166 List is maintained by the International Organization for
> Standardization (ISO).
> Information about the list is given on:
> https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html
>
> The Code for Taiwan is published at:
> https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:TW
>
> ISO has a process by which they define the naming in relation to a code
> such as TW and this information comes from United Nations sources
> (Terminology Bulletin Country Names and the Country and Region Codes for
> Statistical Use maintained by the United Nations Statistics Divisions).
>
> Thus RIPE has nothing to do with the current naming convention for TW. It
> just follows the ISO 3166 code.
>
> I hope this helps,
>
> Olivier
>
>
> On 19/03/2024 14:22, SteveYi Yo wrote:
>
> Dear Members of the Cooperation Working Group,
>
> I am Tsung-Yi Yu from Taiwan, a user of RIPE NCC's services since 2019
> with a deep interest in Global Internet Governance.
>
> I wish to address the classification of Taiwan on RIPE NCC's website,
> particularly regarding Country Codes and RIRs:
> https://www.ripe.net/membership/member-support/list-of-members/list-of-country-codes-and-rirs/.
> Taiwan is listed as a "Province of China," which may cause confusion and
> misinterpretation.
>
> Some of the Individuals and legal entities in Taiwan are using RIPE NCC
> services like Atlas/RIPEstat. However, the current classification does not
> accurately reflect Taiwan's status. I reached out to RIPE NCC Support,
> learning that changes to this classification are currently not possible
> since they have already implemented the ISO-3166.
>
> Notably, the NRO/APNIC does not refer to Taiwan as a "Province of China"
> but rather by its "economy":
> https://www.nro.net/list-of-country-codes-in-the-apnic-region/ and
> https://www.apnic.net/about-apnic/corporate-documents/documents/corporate/apnic-service-region/.
> This approach avoids political sensitivities and ensures clarity.
>
> As I know, the RIPE NCC is operating under a Multi-Stakeholder model
> (community), and follows different guidelines from entities like the
> UN/IGF. Even the ICANN, does not label Taiwan as a "Province of China"
> outside its GAC committee.
>
> That's why I would like to discuss this in here and wish the RIPE NCC to
> reconsider its classification of Taiwan, promoting accuracy and respect in
> global internet governance.
>
> Please feel free to share your opinion. Thank you!
>
> Best,
> Tsung-Yi Yu
>
>
>
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