In a sign of warming ties, about 25,000 joggers will take part in road runs in 10 Taiwanese and Chinese cities next month in a show of support for Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympics.
"It'll be a run for fun. It'll serve as a bridge and make us understand each other," Chi Cheng (紀政), organizer of the runs, said yesterday.
Chi was a bronze medal winner for Taiwan in the women's 80m hurdles at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. "I hope Beijing wins. It'll be good for both sides," said the 57-year-old honorary chairman of Taiwan's track association.
The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city for the 2008 Games on July 13. Beijing lost out to Sydney in a 1993 bid to host the 2000 Games.
The cross-strait road runs come on the heels of a visit to Taiwan this month by an 11-member Chinese delegation led by Yuan Weimin (袁偉民), president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.
Political analysts said the sports exchanges were signs touchy ties between Taipei and Beijing would not spiral out of control over a US pledge last month to help defend Taiwan and strengthen its defense capacity.
In another sign of a thaw, Taiwan's economic planning minister shook hands and talked briefly with Chinese President Jiang Zemin (
The economic planner was the most senior official of President Chen Shui-bian's (
While Taiwanese officials support China's Olympic bid, they rejected Beijing's offer to let the island co-host some Olympic events.
"It's impossible for us to co-host unless the Olympic charter is amended," Chan Teh-chi (
"We are a sovereign, independent country," Chan said.
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