Canada Census: Taiwan and Hong Kong communities emphasize identity recognition
Taiwanese and Hong Konger communities in Canada are launching campaigns to emphasize their distinct identities in the ongoing census, urging people to mark "Taiwanese" and "Hong Konger" instead of "Chinese." This initiative aims to ensure the Canadian government accurately understands their unique cultural backgrounds for policy-making.
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- 📰 Published: May 9, 2026 at 09:09
- 🔍 Collected: May 9, 2026 at 09:31 (21 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 9, 2026 at 10:46 (1h 14m after Collected)
(Central News Agency reporter Cheng Ai-fen, Vancouver, 8th) Canada is conducting its quinquennial census. Hong Kongers and Taiwanese in Canada have launched identity recognition campaigns, urging people to fill in "Taiwanese" and "Hong Konger" in the census questionnaire, rather than the generalized term "Chinese."
Several Taiwanese groups, including Team Taiwan Club and the Taiwanese Association of Greater Vancouver, are continuously promoting on various social media platforms that when filling out the 2026 census, for questions related to mother tongue, ethnic or cultural origins of ancestors, and population group, one should clearly select or fill in "Taiwanese" (Taiwanese language/Taiwanese people).
Even immigrants who speak Mandarin or Hakka at home do not need to worry; they can fill in "Taiwanese Mandarin," "Taiwanese Hakka," or "Formosan Languages" in the mother tongue option to highlight their Taiwanese background.
Du Zhi-juan, head of Team Taiwan Club, stated that prior to the last census in 2021, they launched the "I am Taiwanese" initiative, which received a great response, and therefore this year they are reminding everyone to continue their efforts.
The 2021 census results showed that a total of 65,365 people nationwide reported being born in Taiwan, of whom 64,202 identified as "Taiwanese" in the 'ethnic or cultural origins' section, a high proportion of approximately 98%.
Du Zhi-juan told the Central News Agency that propaganda has an effect. Compared to the 2016 data, the results are very different and gratifying. "Both in the 2021 and 2016 censuses, more than 60,000 people claimed to be born in Taiwan, but in 2016, only more than 36,000 people called themselves 'Taiwanese,' while in 2021, it reached 64,000 people, an increase of 75%."
Canada has had a census since its founding, and a large-scale quinquennial census has been implemented since 1951. The government can formulate policies based on the socio-economic characteristics of the population, such as income, employment status, housing, language, and cultural background.
In the early days, only "Chinese" was available in the language and ethnicity options. In 2011, then-president of the Taiwanese Association of Canada, Chang Yu-wen, and several Taiwanese expatriates jointly launched the "If you are from Taiwan, fill in Taiwanese" campaign, urging Taiwanese in Canada not to choose "Chinese" but to fill in "Taiwanese" in the "other" column.
At that time, it was widely reported by the media, making mainstream society begin to pay attention to the existence of the "Taiwanese community." Therefore, in the 2016 census questionnaire, the ethnicity column added the option "Taiwanese."
Chang Yu-wen told the Central News Agency: "Fifteen years later, it's very different. It's very touching to see more unity among Canadian Taiwanese and greater Taiwanese visibility now."
At the same time, the Hong Konger community in Canada also launched the "I am a Hong Konger" appeal, hoping that immigrants with a Hong Kong background would choose "Cantonese" and "Hong Konger."
Dong Da-cheng, president of the Canadian Alliance for Civic Engagement, told the Central News Agency that inspired by the Taiwanese community, they also began to emphasize identity recognition in the 2021 census.
He said that identity recognition is not a narrow political appeal, but a demonstration of the diversity of ethnic culture. "Clarifying Hong Konger, Chinese, and Taiwanese is not to deliberately create a division among Chinese people, but to allow the Canadian government to better understand the characteristics and demands of each community. For example, in terms of mother tongue policy, not only Mandarin is valued, but Cantonese can also be valued; when government documents are translated, not only simplified Chinese characters are used, but traditional Chinese characters can also be continuously preserved. When allocating community resources, it can be more targeted and effective." (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150509
Several Taiwanese groups, including Team Taiwan Club and the Taiwanese Association of Greater Vancouver, are continuously promoting on various social media platforms that when filling out the 2026 census, for questions related to mother tongue, ethnic or cultural origins of ancestors, and population group, one should clearly select or fill in "Taiwanese" (Taiwanese language/Taiwanese people).
Even immigrants who speak Mandarin or Hakka at home do not need to worry; they can fill in "Taiwanese Mandarin," "Taiwanese Hakka," or "Formosan Languages" in the mother tongue option to highlight their Taiwanese background.
Du Zhi-juan, head of Team Taiwan Club, stated that prior to the last census in 2021, they launched the "I am Taiwanese" initiative, which received a great response, and therefore this year they are reminding everyone to continue their efforts.
The 2021 census results showed that a total of 65,365 people nationwide reported being born in Taiwan, of whom 64,202 identified as "Taiwanese" in the 'ethnic or cultural origins' section, a high proportion of approximately 98%.
Du Zhi-juan told the Central News Agency that propaganda has an effect. Compared to the 2016 data, the results are very different and gratifying. "Both in the 2021 and 2016 censuses, more than 60,000 people claimed to be born in Taiwan, but in 2016, only more than 36,000 people called themselves 'Taiwanese,' while in 2021, it reached 64,000 people, an increase of 75%."
Canada has had a census since its founding, and a large-scale quinquennial census has been implemented since 1951. The government can formulate policies based on the socio-economic characteristics of the population, such as income, employment status, housing, language, and cultural background.
In the early days, only "Chinese" was available in the language and ethnicity options. In 2011, then-president of the Taiwanese Association of Canada, Chang Yu-wen, and several Taiwanese expatriates jointly launched the "If you are from Taiwan, fill in Taiwanese" campaign, urging Taiwanese in Canada not to choose "Chinese" but to fill in "Taiwanese" in the "other" column.
At that time, it was widely reported by the media, making mainstream society begin to pay attention to the existence of the "Taiwanese community." Therefore, in the 2016 census questionnaire, the ethnicity column added the option "Taiwanese."
Chang Yu-wen told the Central News Agency: "Fifteen years later, it's very different. It's very touching to see more unity among Canadian Taiwanese and greater Taiwanese visibility now."
At the same time, the Hong Konger community in Canada also launched the "I am a Hong Konger" appeal, hoping that immigrants with a Hong Kong background would choose "Cantonese" and "Hong Konger."
Dong Da-cheng, president of the Canadian Alliance for Civic Engagement, told the Central News Agency that inspired by the Taiwanese community, they also began to emphasize identity recognition in the 2021 census.
He said that identity recognition is not a narrow political appeal, but a demonstration of the diversity of ethnic culture. "Clarifying Hong Konger, Chinese, and Taiwanese is not to deliberately create a division among Chinese people, but to allow the Canadian government to better understand the characteristics and demands of each community. For example, in terms of mother tongue policy, not only Mandarin is valued, but Cantonese can also be valued; when government documents are translated, not only simplified Chinese characters are used, but traditional Chinese characters can also be continuously preserved. When allocating community resources, it can be more targeted and effective." (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150509