China Withdraws from Gwangju Biennale Over Taiwan Pavilion Name

The Chinese pavilion team has withdrawn from the 16th Gwangju Biennale in protest of the organizer's decision to use the name Taiwan Pavilion. The withdrawal occurred on Thursday, two days before the event's scheduled opening on September 5. Curator Yuelai Ruan stated that the use of the name politicized an event intended to celebrate art.

The dispute began when the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts was permitted to use the name Taiwan Pavilion. The biennale foundation had initially listed the exhibition under the acronym NTMoFA, but later approved the request for the new name following delays and criticism. In response, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul issued a statement saying the decision undermines the political foundation of bilateral relations and is inconsistent with South Korea's support for the one China policy.

South Korea's foreign ministry reaffirmed its basic stance of respecting the one China policy, which it has maintained since 1992. Ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon stated that the decision regarding the name was made independently by the private sector in the cultural and artistic sphere and is unrelated to the government's position on Taiwan. He expressed hope that the matter would not affect South Korea China relations.

Additional tensions have emerged following the dispute. A delegation from Guangzhou canceled a scheduled visit, and the city of Zhoushan scrapped plans for a promotional pavilion at next year's World Island Exhibition Expo in Yeosu. The Gwangju Biennale is set to run through November 15 in the southwestern city of Gwangju.