Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2018-07-25

President Tsai Ing-wen says the cancellation of Taichung’s right to host the East

President Tsai Ing-wen (right) and Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (left) appear in this CNA photo. President Tsai has called the East Asian Olympic Committee’s decision to revoke Taichung’s right to host the 2019 East Asian Youth Games a mistake.

Asian Youth Games goes beyond Taiwan’s political divide. Tsai was speaking Wednesday at a central committee meeting of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), of which she is the chair.

The East Asian Olympic Committee this week stripped Taichung of the right to host the 2019 East Asian Youth Games. The decision came after pressure from China. Reports claim Beijing acted in retaliation after Taiwanese civic groups lobbied for Taiwan to take part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under the name “Taiwan” instead of “Chinese Taipei.” This is the designation under which Taiwan takes part in international sporting events, again due to pressure from China.

President Tsai called the East Asian Olympic Committee’s decision a mistake. She also said this was a matter that went beyond the division between Taiwan’s ruling “green” and opposition “blue” political camps. She urged the country to stand united behind Taichung in a bid to reverse the decision.    [FULL  STORY]