Executive Yuan Spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) told Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) yesterday that the central government would fully support the city in hosting the World Games next month, but Chen said the show of support was a bit late.
Su told a press conference in Taipei that sports should transcend politics and that the central government was committed to promoting the Games.
“We support you, Mayor Chen. Jiayou,” Su told Chen, who was presiding over the conference.
“Promoting Kaohsiung’s visibility in the world also means promoting Taiwan’s visibility. We are more than happy to support [the city hosting the Games],” Su said.
The Kaohsiung City Government has complained the central government dropped its support for the Games after the Sports Affairs Council froze most of the World Games Kaohsiung Organizing Committee’s (KOC) budget in late February.
Chen did praise Su’s concern.
“The Kaohsiung City Government rarely receives such warmhearted treatment [from the central government],” she said.
“The central government and the local government must join hands to promote the World Games. But we do not have much time to appreciate such warm support. We will take care of ourselves,” Chen said.
The Games are scheduled to begin on July 16, with athletes from about 100 nations competing in 31 different events.
The KOC said the opening and closing ceremonies and the competitions will be broadcast live on Public Television Service, Chunghwa Telecom’s MOD, hiChannel and cellphone platform Emome around the world via four satellites.
The opening ceremony will feature the theme song The Prayer by New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra and British tenor Russell Watson, while singer Tiger Huang (黃小琥) and Shin (信), former lead singer of Shin Band (信樂團), will also perform, the committee said.
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