President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday took part in a 3km road run that was part of an event to promote the upcoming Taipei International Flora Exposition.
Ma completed the course that started at the Presidential Office plaza and wove through nearby streets in under 30 minutes.
The run’s sponsor, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, incorporated the event into a promotional campaign for the Taipei Flora Expo, which is scheduled to open in November.
Speaking before the run, Ma exhorted Taipei residents to exercise more and urged them to throw their support behind the flora expo — one of the largest international events the city has ever hosted.
A total of 2,648 runners took part in yesterday’s run, which was divided into three categories — the 10km competition, 3km family run and the 3km LOHAS run.
At a separate setting yesterday, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said the 2010 Taipei International Flora exposition will transform Taiwan’s capital into a garden city and help showcase its achievements to the world.
The event will allow Taiwan to share its exploits in biotechnology, horticulture and tourism with the whole world, Hau said during a ceremony marking the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and Rotary International Taiwan.
The MOU was based on cooperation between the Rotary Club and the city when Taipei hosted the Deaflympics last year.
Hau said the city did a good job promoting itself during the Deaflympics in September because of the help of more than 5,500 Rotary Club members, who provided translation, catering and tour guide services.
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