Taipei  - Taiwan's foreign minister Thursday came under fire from pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) over his recent decision to drop the island's politically sensitive Taiwan title from official documents issued by the ministry.

"What's wrong with using the Taiwan title? Does that mean the foreign ministry wants to ditch the Taiwanese identity, which Ma Ying-jeou has said he would safeguard?" asked DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsan.

Cheng's criticism came after Foreign Minister Francisco Ou confirmed earlier on Thursday he had asked the ministry change the island's official name back to the Republic of China (ROC) in documents, statements and letters issued by the ministry.

Ou also said he had asked ministry's officials to address China as "Chinese mainland" or "mainland China" instead of People's Republic of China or simply China, references used by the former DPP government to separate Taiwan and China as two separate countries.

The DPP, which advocates Taiwan independence, had done all it can to cut the island's historic link with China during its eight years of rule in Taiwan since 2000. But the trend has reversed since Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT) won the presidency in the March election.

DPP's Cheng criticized Ou for trying to launch a "de-Taiwanization" campaign and criticized Prime Minister Ma for breaking his promise to safeguard the island's self-rule identity.

"Ma said in his run-up to the presidential election he loved Taiwan and would remain every inch Taiwanese even if he were burnt to ashes, but after he becomes president, he drops the Taiwan title like trash," Cheng said.

His harsh comments prompted Ou to call for a halt on the reversal of the designation later Thursday. "We could decide what to use after reaching a general consensus among the public," Ou said. (dpa)