World Coffee Competition Changes Taiwan to Chinese Taipei; California Assemblyman Criticizes CCP Pressure
California Assemblyman Tri Ta criticized the World Coffee Championship's change of Taiwan's designation to 'Chinese Taipei' as political interference by the Chinese Communist Party. He emphasized that this decision undermines Taiwan's sovereignty and dignity, and he will not tolerate any communist regime's interference.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 07:09
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 07:31 (22 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 5, 2026 at 07:33 (1 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Los Angeles, Central News Agency reporter Lin Hong-han, May 4th exclusive report) The World Coffee Championship recently changed the designation for Taiwanese participants from "Taiwan" to "Chinese Taipei." California Republican Assemblyman Tri Ta spoke out for Taiwan, criticizing this as a wrong decision, believing it stemmed from political interference by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Tri Ta, 53, accepted a video interview with a Central News Agency reporter today at his California Assembly office. He was elected California State Assemblyman for the 70th district in 2022, an area in northern Orange County that includes Little Saigon, which has a concentrated Vietnamese population. Tri Ta, who comes from a Vietnamese refugee family, frequently expresses anti-communist views.
Ta stated: "I believe the organizers made a wrong decision, a very wrong one, because it undermines Taiwan's sovereignty and dignity on the international stage."
When asked if he believed this incident involved political pressure from China, Ta shared his own experience, pointing out that "the CCP interferes with many things here, interfering with Taiwan-related activities, which is not surprising."
In March, Ta hosted Woo Chih-Hsian, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, at the California Assembly. After sharing a photo of the two on social media, his office received a call from someone who appeared to be Chinese consulate personnel, questioning why he posted a photo with a Taiwanese official. Ta then issued a statement condemning the action.
Ta said: "The CCP has no right to interfere with our state government. I do not accept any directives from the CCP."
Whether it's a coffee competition or elected officials posting photos with Taiwanese officials, the influence of Chinese forces seems apparent. Ta said: "We must continue to raise concerns and ensure that all levels of government understand what is happening. Such things should not happen again; the CCP has no right to interfere in California's affairs, nor does it have the right to exert political pressure on any non-profit organization in California."
Ta was born in Saigon, Vietnam (now Ho Chi Minh City), and experienced the displacement of the Vietnam War. His father, like tens of thousands of South Vietnamese intellectuals, educators, and soldiers, was imprisoned by the North Vietnamese communist regime. His entire family later came to the United States as political refugees.
He said: "My family and I have personally experienced life under a communist regime. Vietnamese people came to the United States for freedom, and we will continue to fight for freedom."
Ta criticized that communist regimes, whether in China or Vietnam, still arrest and harass people today. "There are no human rights in any communist country in the world." He emphasized that his purpose in the United States is to support freedom and democracy, stating, "This is my purpose here." (Edited by Kao Chao-Fen)1150505
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(Los Angeles, Central News Agency reporter Lin Hong-han, May 4th exclusive report) The World Coffee Championship recently changed the designation for Taiwanese participants from "Taiwan" to "Chinese Taipei." California Republican Assemblyman Tri Ta spoke out for Taiwan, criticizing this as a wrong decision, believing it stemmed from political interference by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Tri Ta, 53, accepted a video interview with a Central News Agency reporter today at his California Assembly office. He was elected California State Assemblyman for the 70th district in 2022, an area in northern Orange County that includes Little Saigon, which has a concentrated Vietnamese population. Tri Ta, who comes from a Vietnamese refugee family, frequently expresses anti-communist views.
Ta stated: "I believe the organizers made a wrong decision, a very wrong one, because it undermines Taiwan's sovereignty and dignity on the international stage."
When asked if he believed this incident involved political pressure from China, Ta shared his own experience, pointing out that "the CCP interferes with many things here, interfering with Taiwan-related activities, which is not surprising."
In March, Ta hosted Woo Chih-Hsian, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, at the California Assembly. After sharing a photo of the two on social media, his office received a call from someone who appeared to be Chinese consulate personnel, questioning why he posted a photo with a Taiwanese official. Ta then issued a statement condemning the action.
Ta said: "The CCP has no right to interfere with our state government. I do not accept any directives from the CCP."
Whether it's a coffee competition or elected officials posting photos with Taiwanese officials, the influence of Chinese forces seems apparent. Ta said: "We must continue to raise concerns and ensure that all levels of government understand what is happening. Such things should not happen again; the CCP has no right to interfere in California's affairs, nor does it have the right to exert political pressure on any non-profit organization in California."
Ta was born in Saigon, Vietnam (now Ho Chi Minh City), and experienced the displacement of the Vietnam War. His father, like tens of thousands of South Vietnamese intellectuals, educators, and soldiers, was imprisoned by the North Vietnamese communist regime. His entire family later came to the United States as political refugees.
He said: "My family and I have personally experienced life under a communist regime. Vietnamese people came to the United States for freedom, and we will continue to fight for freedom."
Ta criticized that communist regimes, whether in China or Vietnam, still arrest and harass people today. "There are no human rights in any communist country in the world." He emphasized that his purpose in the United States is to support freedom and democracy, stating, "This is my purpose here." (Edited by Kao Chao-Fen)1150505
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.