Tiny Taiwan Winter Olympics team weathers frosty Beijing ties

TAIPEI: Only four Taiwanese athletes will compete at the Winter Olympics, in frosty temperatures rivalling Beijing and Taipei's relations - which have plunged to their lowest point in years.

China views self-ruled democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

The last time Beijing hosted the Olympics, in 2008, ties were much warmer.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping has ramped up diplomatic, economic and military pressure on the island in recent years.

At Friday's (Feb 4) opening ceremony, when Olympic squads will march into the stadium in order, observers of the island's geopolitical struggle will be listening closely to how Taiwan is announced, and where it is placed.

Since 1981, Taiwan has competed in international sports events under the deliberately ambiguous name of "Chinese Taipei" - "Zhonghua Taipei" in Mandarin - in a compromise with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Athletes cannot fly the Taiwanese flag or use the island's anthem.

But at a press conference last week, a Chinese spokesperson said "Zhongguo Taipei" when referring to the island - which translates more to "China, Taipei", and hints at Beijing's sovereignty claim.

The minuscule language change prompted a strong reaction from Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the island's top China policy-making body.

"We urge the organisers this year to abide by the rules of the Olympic Charter and not to interfere with the event with political factors to suppress and belittle our side," spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng said.

Chiu accused Beijing of "intentionally" using a different name.

"These tactics to belittle (Taiwan) ... will not achieve any result and will only disgust Taiwanese people."

Modern Taiwan -