For Immediate Release
Washington, D.C. – May 8, 2026
Contact: 202-547-3686
FAPA Launches Letter-Writing Campaign to Restore “Taiwan” in World Coffee Championships Records
The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) launched a letter-writing campaign today, urging supporters, coffee professionals, coffee communities, Taiwanese American organizations, and the general public to call on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), World Coffee Events (WCE), and the World Coffee Championships (WCC) to restore the name “Taiwan” in all WCC records, communications, and historical materials. The campaign follows the WCC’s April 28 decision to arbitrarily replace “Taiwan” with the wrongful designation “Chinese Taipei” for Taiwanese contestants and the Taiwan coffee community.
“Taiwan’s coffee community and professionals have earned their place on the world stage under the name ‘Taiwan,’” said FAPA National President Dr. Su-Mei Kao (林素梅). “Forcing the name ‘Chinese Taipei’ onto Taiwanese contestants and historical records is not an administrative update; it is an act of national identity erasure.”
FAPA strongly objects to the WCC’s explanation that the change was made to align with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) naming conventions. Those conventions have long forced Taiwanese teams to compete under the discriminatory misnomer “Chinese Taipei” rather than under Taiwan’s own name.
Numerous U.S. statutes, most notably the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), establish and reaffirm “Taiwan” as the proper and formal designation in U.S. law and policy. Accordingly, U.S. legal and policy frameworks have long referred to Taiwan simply as “Taiwan.”
The SCA is a California-based 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association, and WCE is its wholly owned subsidiary. Neither the SCA nor WCE should import the discriminatory “Chinese Taipei” formula into the specialty coffee community.
“As a U.S. nonprofit trade association, the SCA and its subsidiaries should follow U.S. norms, statutory precedents, and policy. They should not allow external political pressure, especially pressure from China, to distort Taiwan’s name, identity, or achievements,” Dr. Kao underscored.
For nearly two decades, Taiwanese contestants have competed and the Taiwan coffee community has been recognized at WCC events under the name “Taiwan,” earning 70 competition entries, 18 finalist placements, and seven world championships. The WCC’s retroactive replacement of “Taiwan” with “Chinese Taipei” erases the name under which Taiwan’s coffee professionals built their record and global reputation. This decision also contradicts the SCA’s stated commitment to fostering a global, equitable, and inclusive coffee community.
FAPA calls on the SCA, WCE, and WCC to restore the name “Taiwan” in all current and historical WCC records, reverse all retroactive changes, and commit to respecting Taiwan’s true name going forward.
“Taiwan’s coffee community deserves to be seen, recorded, and respected under its own name,” Dr. Kao emphasized. “The global coffee community should stand for accuracy, fairness, and respect. ‘Let Taiwan be Taiwan’ — in sports, in international organizations, and in the global coffee community.”
Take Action: Send Your Individual Name Rectification Letter!
Supporters are encouraged to use FAPA’s name rectification letter as a template and send it directly to the leadership of SCA, WCE, and WCC.
How to Participate:
- Fill out the sign-on form at https://forms.gle/NWgio96HCQpiaFEp9
- Copy the FAPA name rectification letter template and personalize it as needed.
- Email your letter to the SCA/WCE/WCC leadership at: [Email list]
- Use this subject line: Restore “Taiwan” in World Coffee Championships Records
- Optional Opening Line: You may include this line at the beginning of your email:
“I am writing in support of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs’ (FAPA) request that the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), World Coffee Events (WCE), and the World Coffee Championships (WCC) immediately restore the name ‘Taiwan’ in all World Coffee Championships records and communications. Please see the letter below.” - Share the campaign: Share this campaign with your friends to help amplify support for restoring “Taiwan” in official World Coffee Championships records.
FAPA 發起「一人一信」正名行動，要求世界咖啡錦標賽恢復「台灣」名稱
台灣人公共事務會（FAPA）於今日（發起「一人一信」正名行動，鼓勵支持者、咖啡專業人士、咖啡社群、海外台灣人組織及一般大眾，共同去信精品咖啡協會（Specialty Coffee Association, SCA）、世界咖啡組織 （World Coffee Events, WCE）及世界咖啡錦標賽（World Coffee Championships, WCC），要求其在所有世界咖啡錦標賽的出賽紀錄、官方通訊及歷史資料中恢復使用「台灣」名稱。此次行動源於世界咖啡錦標賽於 4 月 28 日擅自決定將台灣參賽選手及台灣咖啡社群的標示，由「台灣」（Taiwan）錯誤地改為「中華台北」（Chinese Taipei）。
FAPA 總會會長林素梅博士表示：「台灣咖啡社群與專業人士是以『台灣』之名在世界舞台發光發熱。將『中華台北』強加於台灣參賽者並溯及歷史紀錄，並非單純的行政更新，而是抹除台灣國家認同的行為。」
FAPA 強烈反對世界咖啡錦標賽將此次任意更名解釋為「依循國際奧林匹克委員會（International Olympic Committee, IOC）及國際足球總會（Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA）的命名慣例」。這些慣例長期以來強迫台灣代表隊在歧視性的錯誤稱呼「中華台北」下參賽，而不能使用「台灣」自己的名字。
美國多項法律，尤其是《台灣關係法》（Taiwan Relations Act, TRA），均確立並重申「台灣」（Taiwan）作為美國法律與政策中適當且正式的稱呼。因此，美國法律與政策架構長期以來均直接以「台灣」稱呼台灣。
精品咖啡協會（SCA）是註冊於美國加州的 501(c)(6) 非營利業界協會，而世界咖啡組織（WCE）則為其全資子公司。無論是 SCA 或 WCE，都不應將歧視性的「中華台北」模式引入全球精品咖啡社群。
林會長強調：「作為美國的非營利業界協會，精品咖啡協會（SCA）及其子公司應遵循美國法律規範、慣例與政策。他們不應讓外部政治壓力，尤其是來自中國的壓力，扭曲台灣的名稱、身份認同與成就。」
近二十年來，台灣參賽選手一直以「台灣」之名參與世界咖啡錦標賽，台灣咖啡社群也以此名獲得國際認可，並累積了 70 次參賽紀錄、18 次決賽席次及 7 個世界冠軍。世界咖啡錦標賽將「台灣」之名回溯地更改為「中華台北」，抹除了台灣咖啡專業人士建立其參賽紀錄與國際聲譽時所使用的名稱。此舉也違背了 SCA 所宣稱致力於建立全球性、公平且具包容性的咖啡社群之宗旨。
FAPA 呼籲精品咖啡協會（SCA）、世界咖啡組織（WCE）及世界咖啡錦標賽（WCC）恢復所有現行及歷史賽事紀錄中的「台灣」名稱，撤回所有追溯更改，並承諾在未來會尊重台灣的真實名稱。
林會長強調：「台灣咖啡社群應以自己的名字被看見、被記錄、被尊重。全球咖啡社群應堅守準確、公平與尊重的原則。無論在體育賽事、國際組織，或全球咖啡社群之中，都應『讓台灣就是台灣』（Let Taiwan be Taiwan）！」
採取行動：一人一信要求台灣正名
FAPA 鼓勵所有支持者使用我們的正名信範本，直接寄給 SCA、WCE 及 WCC 的領導層。
參與方式：
- 填寫連署表單於 https://forms.gle/NWgio96HCQpiaFEp9
- 複製 FAPA 正名信範本，並根據個人需要進行修改
- 寄出 Email：將你的個人正名信寄給 SCA/WCE/WCC 領導層：[Email 名單]
- 信件主旨：請使用 Restore “Taiwan” in World Coffee Championships Records
- 開頭句（可選）： 你可在信件開頭加入以下句子:
“I am writing in support of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs’ (FAPA) request that the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), World Coffee Events (WCE), and the World Coffee Championships (WCC) immediately restore the name ‘Taiwan’ in all World Coffee Championships records and communications. Please see the letter below.” - 分享此台灣正名行動： 請將「一人一信」正名行動分享給你的朋友，共同要求世界咖啡錦標賽恢復使用「台灣」名稱。
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