TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Presidential Adviser Wu Li-pei (吳澧培) published his English-language memoirs in the United States recently to explain his vision on the country’s future as an independent nation, reports said Thursday (June 16).

The book, titled “Two Countries: My Taiwanese American Immigrant Story,” went on sale in the U.S. in late May, and more than 100 people turned up at a hotel in Los Angeles, California, on June 12 for a signing session by the author, CNA reported.

Wu, 88, originally from Changhua County, went into banking in the U.S. and founded the Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) in 1985, sending young people as interns to Congress. The first female mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, was a TACL member, he said.

Discussing his views with CNA, Wu Li-pei said that if Taiwan held on to “Republic of China” (ROC) as its official name, it could never become a normal country. The U.S. will never abandon the People’s Republic of China to switch recognition to the ROC, he said.

The government needs to draw up a long-term plan to allow more people to identify with the name Taiwan, as the country would only have a future under that name, said Wu, who is an uncle of Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).

He acknowledged that a name change could not happen quickly, though the term “ROC” should only be used on official documents, and “Taiwan” in all other possible cases.

Turning to the threat posed by China, Wu described the communist regime as a practical government that will not attack Taiwan because it is not yet ready to do so. “Today is still not the day” that China will invade, as it could not afford to counter involvement by the U.S. and Japan.