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Taiwan has `little chance' to host Olympic events

There is "little possibility" Taiwan will hold events as part of the 2008 Olympic Games in China, Taiwan's International Olympic Commission (IOC) member Wu Ching-kuo (吳經國) said yesterday.

Instead, Taiwan may be involved with the torch relay and US$12.5 billion worth of infrastructure projects which are part and parcel of the successful Beijing bid, he said at a European-US chamber of commerce meeting.

"There are excellent opportunities" for business and cultural exchanges with China, he said, but holding Olympic events in Taiwan was off the agenda.

Wu said he had spoken with IOC chief Jacques Rogge earlier this month at the opening of China's National Games.

"He said to me that there was `very little possibility' [of Taiwan holding Olympic events in 2008] because it was against the Charter."

According to the Olympic Charter an Olympic Games is entrusted by the IOC to one host city, thereby excluding Taipei.

China, Wu said, would likely support a bid by Taiwan to be involved in the Games, but only if it acceded to the "One China" principle.

Taiwan lost an opportunity to be more involved with the Games in the bidding process that was wrapped up in July this year, Wu said.

At that point, Taiwan could have made its case for holding some events. "But during the process this kind of support was not shown."

There have been statements, particularly from China and Beijing's All-China Sports Federation, that Taiwan will be included in the Olympic torch relay.

Wu said this was a possibility and such a relay route would include Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

He also hinted that Taiwan could get involved in a variety of other sporting, cultural, economic and environmental initiatives that would develop from the Olympics going to China.

"Maybe Taiwan, Chinese Tai-pei, can get involved in these cultural programs. Seven years is a long time, but perhaps a lot of things can happen in this time."

Wu aimed some of his comments at the businesspeople from Taiwan and elsewhere present when he said there was a US$12.5 billion carrot to chase.

Beijing's plans to reshape the city by 2008 include building an Olympic village of about 1,200 hectares, comprising up to 15 sports arenas and an 80,000-seat stadium.

Two "ring roads" will circle the city and two light railway lines are expected to connect the Olympic site with the rest of Beijing.

There needs to be around 37 sports venues for the Games and 19 of these would be brand new sports venues, Wu said.

The central government has promised to underwrite all costs for these infrastructure developments.

Wu said bidding for these projects would begin at the start of next year.

"There are excellent opportunities for business and and cultural exchanges between Taiwan and other countries, with China," he said.
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