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Sports Event Rules and the Double Standards of the Taiwan Strait

FIFA and other sports organizations have strict rules against the display of political, religious, or abusive slogans during international matches. Those rules are also flagrantly biased.

The News Lens
Date: 2016/06/15
By: J. Michael Cole

The Asian Football Confederation recently fined Taiwan’s football association over an incident that

中華男足（歷史照片）。Photo Credit: AP / 達志影像

中華男足（歷史照片）。Photo Credit: AP / 達志影像

occurred during an Asia Cup qualifier in Kaohsiung on June 2. During the match between Taiwan and Cambodia, spectators displayed what has been described as a pro-Taiwan independence flag.

Citing FIFA rules, which ban any political, religious or “abusive slogans” at international football competitions, the Confederation slapped a fine of US$5,000 on the association. The flag featured the island of Taiwan and used the green color. Taken to its extreme, anything green could be construed as a political (or religions, given the color’s association with Islam) statement. (According to FIFA’s Laws of the Game, the rules also extend to athletes’… undergarments: “Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer logo.” Taiwanese players beware: no green underwear allowed!)

Some members of the crowd also reportedly displayed signs reading “Taiwan independence” and “Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei.”

Okay, so rules are rules: no politics at international sports events. However, in the always-particular case of the Taiwan Strait, there is an inherent bias in the regulations. After all, isn’t Taiwan’s inability to use the Republic of China (ROC) flag as its symbol, or the fact that its teams and athletes are forced to compete as members of “Chinese Taipei” or “TPE,” also a political statement, one that favors — no, imposes and inadvertently legitimizes — Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan? “Chinese Taipei” screams politics; it victimizes, and it shuts the door on any alternative, an alternative that, furthermore, is lived and breathed on a daily basis by the 23 million people of Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s CDC raises travel notice level for Tianjin, China

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/15
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and Romulo Huang

Taipei, June 15 (CNA) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) decided Wednesday to raise its travel 201606150018t0001alert for Tianjin in northern China to level 2 “Alert,” warning travelers planning to visit the coastal metropolis to take enhanced precautions against avian flu.

The CDC said it had informed the Mainland Affairs Council, the Cabinet-level agency responsible for handling affairs related to China, of the increased alert.

Under the 3-tier travel advisory system used by the CDC, the level 2 “Alert” urges travelers planning to visit affected areas to heighten their vigilance against bird flu, practice good personal hygiene, avoid contact with poultry and birds and visiting live poultry markets, and consume only thoroughly cooked poultry and eggs in order to avoid infection.

The other two levels are the level 1 “Watch,” which urges travelers planning to visit affected areas to take usual precautions, and the level 3 “Warning,” which warns against non-essential travel.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei’s Fabulous Meat-Shaped Stone Arrives in San Francisco

Artnet News
Date: June 15, 2016
By: Sarah Cascone

One of Taiwan’s most prized artistic treasures is coming to San Francisco this month, but it’s

The "meat-shaped stone." Courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei.

The “meat-shaped stone.” Courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei.

probably not what you would expect. Taipei’s National Palace Museum is offering the Asian Art Museum a rare loan of its beloved “meat-shaped stone,” a small piece of jasper carefully manipulated by a 19th-century Chinese craftsman to accentuate its striking visual similarities to a piece of braised pork belly.

The National Palace Museum is exceedingly proud of the piece, which “show[s] how great craftsmanship not only enhance[s] the beauty and features of natural objects, but it sometimes even outdoes them,” as it states in a description on the museum’s website.

In our foodie-friendly age, where shots of delicious meals rival art selfies for Instagram supremacy, the stone is now primed to become a hit in America on its first journey stateside. It even has a hashtag: #PricelessPorkBelly.

“It’s just so realistic, it looks like a real, mouthwatering piece of pork,” Asian Art Museum director Jay Xu told the New York Times in May. “You can’t help but fall in love with it.”

The stone, with its clear layers of fat and glistening sheen, most closely resembles the dish dongpo rou, said to have been invented by Su Dongpo (orginally known as Su Shi), an 11th-century Chinese poet and artist.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei football association fined US$5k after fans raise Taiwan independence flag at match

Hong Kong Free Press
Date: 15 June 2016
By: Catherine Lai

The Chinese Taipei Football Association, Taiwan’s governing body for football, has been fined

The Taiwan independence flag at the Asian Cup match. Photo: United Daily News.

The Taiwan independence flag at the Asian Cup match. Photo: United Daily News.

US$5,000 (HK$38,800) for allowing fans to display a Taiwan independence flag during a match between Taiwan and Cambodia on June 2.

Fans displayed the offending flag by the side of the pitch at the Asia Cup qualifier play-off match at Taiwan’s National Stadium in Kaohsiung, a port city in Taiwan.

A spokesperson from the Association told Taiwan’s United Daily News (UDN) that their staff tried to stop the fans from hanging the flag during the match, but the fans insisted on going ahead with it. Anticipating displays of political materials based on past experience, the Association had sealed off the first two rows to stop this from happening.

The Asian Football Confederation acted according to regulations and fined the Association for displaying political insignia, the Association told UDN.

The Association said that it would forbid fans from bringing banners and flags with political connotations to future matches.     [FULL  STORY]

China opposed to Taiwan’s secession: Official

Economic Times
Date: 15 Jun, 2016
By: PTI

BEIJING: China today said public mood in the country is against Taiwan’s “independence” and any

"Taiwan independence in any form was a flagrant provocation and would sabotage cross-Strait peace and stability," An Fengshan, spokesman for Chin's Taiwan Affairs Office told.

“Taiwan independence in any form was a flagrant provocation and would sabotage cross-Strait peace and stability,” An Fengshan, spokesman for Chin’s Taiwan Affairs Office told.

attempt by the island to seek secession will be unsuccessful.

“Taiwan independence in any form was a flagrant provocation and would sabotage cross-Strait peace and stability,” An Fengshan, spokesman for Chin’s Taiwan Affairs Office told media here.

Responding to a question about a recent proposal by some Taiwanese political parties to challenge the one-China provisions with “constitutional amendments”, An said “any attempt to seek secession will be unsuccessful”.

He also rejected a statement by Taiwan’s cross-Strait affairs authority to term the cross-Strait relationship as one among “neighbours”.

“The mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, and compatriots on both sides are a family, not neighbours,” he said.

China claims Taiwan, which broke away from the mainland in 1949, is part of it and opposes any country according diplomatic recognition to Taipei.     [FULL STORY]

Ting Hsin affiliate sentenced to compensation

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-06-15
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In the first compensation verdict following a string of food safety scandals,

Kaohsiung judge Shih Po-hung

Kaohsiung judge Shih Po-hung

Ting Hsin International affiliate Cheng I Food Company was sentenced to pay NT$9.36 million (US$288,800) with interest Wednesday.
The Kaohsiung District Court ruled that the cooking oil manufacturer had harmed the health of 5,314 teachers and pupils in a civil case brought by the central government’s Consumer Protection Committee on behalf of 96 schools. Appeals were still possible against the verdict, which came in far lower than demanded by the committee..

The issue found its origin in a series of major adulterated oil scandals which broke in 2014. Several producers, including Ting Hsin affiliates, were accused of having used low-quality products, sometimes even waste oil and oil reserved for industrial oil, to adulterate cooking oil destined for human consumption.

The court said Wednesday that though no evidence had been provided that teachers or pupils suffered health problems as a result of consuming Cheng I oil products, it was still clear that the company had damaged the “corporeal and health rights” of the consumers.     [FULL  STORY]

CAL acting to ensure strike will not affect Tsai’s trip: executive

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/15
By: Chen Wei-ting and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, June 15 (CNA) Taipei-based China Airlines (CAL), Taiwan’s largest air carrier, said

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

Wednesday that it will assemble an emergency team to deal with President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) overseas trip later this month if its flight attendants decide to strike.

At a hearing in the legislative Transportation Committee, CAL President Chang Yu-hern (張有恒) said a special CAL flight will be assigned to take Tsai’s Panama and Paraguay trip, departing Taiwan on June 24.

If CAL flight attendants decide to strike, the airline will have to cancel some flights but it will activate a plan for an emergency team to deal with Tsai’s flight so that it will not be affected, Chang said.

He was responding to questions from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) about a possible strike by members of the Taoyuan Flight Attendant Union, a matter that is currently being decided by means of a poll.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan to host US Department of State language program

Taiwan Today
Date: June 15, 2016

Participants in the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program are all smiles

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen sings national song with the Puzangalan Children’s Choir during the inauguration ceremonies in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 20, 2016. Photo: AP


Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen sings national song with the Puzangalan Children’s Choir during the inauguration ceremonies in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 20, 2016.
Photo: AP

at the prospects at studying for eight weeks at the Chinese Language Center of National Cheng Kung University in Tainan City, southern Taiwan. (Courtesy of NCKU)
Taiwan has been selected for the first time in recent decades as a location for Chinese language instruction under the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program.

Founded in 2006, CLSP is one of the important ways the U.S. Department of State offers instruction in 14 key international languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Turkish.

The U.S. Department of State has selected 20 elite undergraduate and graduate students majoring in international relations or national security with two years of Chinese training from Ivy League, or other well-known universities, to attend the Chinese Language Center of National Cheng Kung University in Tainan City, southern Taiwan, for an eight-week intensive language course and cultural immersion program starting June 15.

Ho Mai-chen, director of the language center, said compared with Taipei City, Tainan boasts a lot of cultural sites. “In addition to learning language, the American students will have classes on gourmet food, seal carving, tea ceremony etiquette and Taiwanese opera.

“They are living with the local families, studying during the weekdays and participating in a series of off-campus activities centered on learning Taiwan history and culture.”

China rescinds invite to patriotic children’s choir

RETALIATION:The Paiwan children’s choir from Pingtung County’s Majia Township gained media attention when it sang the national anthem in traditional Paiwan vocals at Tsai’s inauguration

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 16, 2016
By: Wu Po-wei and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

China has rescinded an invitation to the Puzangalan Children’s Choir, in an apparent retaliation to its

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen sings national song with the Puzangalan Children’s Choir during the inauguration ceremonies in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 20, 2016. Photo: AP

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen sings national song with the Puzangalan Children’s Choir during the inauguration ceremonies in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 20, 2016. Photo: AP

performance of the Republic of China (ROC) national anthem at President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) inaugural ceremony, sources said yesterday.

The Paiwan children’s choir from Pingtung County’s Majia Township (瑪家), gained media attention when it sang the national anthem in traditional Paiwan vocals at Tsai’s inauguration.

The choir’s executive officer Tsai Yi-fang (蔡義芳) said the group was scheduled to tour China next month and Hungary in August.

China’s withdrawal of its invitation has compromised the group’s plans to tour Hungary, because Beijing canceled payments for the children’s airfares, resulting in an additional NT$1.3 million (US$40,072) in travel and related expenses, he said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei transport chief Chung resigns

The China Post
Date: June 16, 2016
By: Yuan-Ming Chiao

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taipei City Department of Transportation (DOT, 交通局) Commissioner Chung Hui-

Chung Hui-yu (鐘慧諭), head of Taipei City Government's Department of Transportation, is seen in this undated file photo. Chung has tendered her resignation for reasons yet unknown. (CNA)

Chung Hui-yu (鐘慧諭), head of Taipei City Government’s Department of Transportation, is seen in this undated file photo. Chung has tendered her resignation for reasons yet unknown. (CNA)

yu (鍾慧諭) tendered her resignation Wednesday, a move which the municipal government has approved and is set to take effect Friday.

Chung’s decision comes at a time of increasing pressure for Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who has seen his approval rates fall significantly. Disagreement over policy and the city’s growing traffic tie-ups, for which Ko has openly blamed the DOT, have played into Chung’s move.

Faced with heavy traffic congestion in February, Ko said openly: “If I fire a couple (of city commissioners), the others will fall in line.” The mayor also took issue with Chung’s handling of bus fare negotiations with neighboring New Taipei and fare adjustments for the metro.

In a statement released Wednesday, Chung wrote: “I have stirred the public, but have caused difficulties. Officials should be held accountable for their policies.”     [FULL STORY]