I was sad to see that your newspaper did not have any coverage of the Tour de Taiwan on Monday, a cycling race that started on Tuesday in Kaohsiung.
As Taiwan tries to attract more tourism, it would be good to note that sports such as cycling have a worldwide fan base and events sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) garner great attention to locations hosting a race.
I do note that your newspaper did have a short note on the larger Paris-Nice bicycle race. I am sure you will also give equal attention to the Tour de France and perhaps the Giro de Italia.
It is, however, unfortunate that you would fail to cover a similar even occurring in your own backyard. It just seems a shame to not cover a race in your own backyard.
Taiwan is a cycling hub for the manufacturing and assembly of mid to high-range bicycles and components.
Furthermore, a growing number of recreational cyclists are taking to the streets and mountains in Taiwan and enjoying the beauty of its landscapes.
In light of this, it is a shame that the only coverage I could find in local English-language newspapers was on the cover of Taiwan News with a short caption alluding -- falsely, as it turns out -- that the Giant Asia team was winning the race.
I would hope you will find the time and space to cover the remaining stages before the race reaches Taipei in time for the Taipei Bike Show exhibit on Saturday.
Eighteen Taiwanese are participating in the race and some coverage of their progress in the race would be enlightening and informative.
Richard Raymond
Taichung
Editor's note: The Taipei Times ran a story on the race on March 20 (Taiwan Sports Wrap, page 20) and has one today ("Mizbani wins fourth stage as Tour heads to Taichung," page 20). We will continue to endeavor to ensure the best possible coverage of local sports events.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing
A group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers led by the party’s legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (?) are to visit Beijing for four days this week, but some have questioned the timing and purpose of the visit, which demonstrates the KMT caucus’ increasing arrogance. Fu on Wednesday last week confirmed that following an invitation by Beijing, he would lead a group of lawmakers to China from Thursday to Sunday to discuss tourism and agricultural exports, but he refused to say whether they would meet with Chinese officials. That the visit is taking place during the legislative session and in the aftermath