A torch relay for next year’s Summer Universiade is to include Yushan’s (玉山) main peak, the Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee said yesterday after a delegation successfully lit a prototype torch at the summit.
In a bid to evaluate the possibility of including the mountain in the Universiade’s torch relay route, committee CEO Su Li-chung (蘇麗瓊) led a delegation of committee members to Yushan’s main peak, the highest in the nation at 3,952m.
The prototype torch overcame the low pressure and temperature, the high altitude and sudden gusts of strong winds at the summit, she said, adding that the temperature at the peak yesterday was 3°C.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee
By bringing the torch to Yushan, the committee hopes to convey the message of letting Taiwan be seen by the world through the sporting event.
The delegation tested the torch at four locations on the mountain: the Tataka Saddle at 2,610m; the Paiyun Lodge (排雲山莊) at 3,402m; the “white forest” of trees stripped bare by forest fires at 3,096m; and at the summit.
When asked by reporters what he thought of the successful tests, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) praised the delegation for going to such great lengths to test the torch, adding that he had previously conquered Yushan.
Asked if he would follow the torch to Yushan’s peak to promote the sporting event, Ko said: “Give me a break.”
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS