Taiwanese speedskater Huang Yu-ting (黃郁婷) drew criticism after posting an Instagram video showing her wearing the Chinese speedskating team’s uniform during practice ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The incident happened two days after the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC) and the Sports Administration announced that a Taiwanese delegation would attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, despite initially saying the delegation would not attend either event.
Huang late on Wednesday said on Facebook that she removed the video after “receiving too many unnecessary comments as well as messages sent to her privately.”
Photo courtesy of Huang Yu-ting via CNA
“Sport is sport. There is no nationality in the world of sports. Every athlete is a friend when we are not competing against each other,” she wrote. “You do not have to cheer for me, but remember to cheer for athletes you support. Winter sports are not popular in Taiwan, but the nation has athletes competing in the Winter Olympics. Do not forget to cheer for them. I believe they will appreciate your support.”
However, Huang’s post failed to assuage her critics.
“Sport is sport? Do not forget that your accomplishments are only possible through the use of resources funded by Taiwanese taxpayers,” one Internet user said.
“You want to be Chinese? Fine, then renounce your Taiwanese nationality and do not come back,” another said.
One suggested that Huang give her Taiwan national team uniform to a Chinese athlete to test whether her theory of “sport is sport” applies to them as well.
In response, Huang said she has only one team uniform and would not be able to compete if she gave it away.
Still, some said people should not make a fuss about Huang’s friendly gesture.
Huang was wearing an outfit given by a friend, and she did not wear it during competition, they said, adding that it was a matter of personal freedom.
Sports Administration Deputy Director-General Lin Che-hung (林哲宏) yesterday said Huang had explained the situation to leaders of the Taiwanese delegation.
“She told us that she and her friend met during training in Germany in 2016 and they were happy to be able to reunite in Beijing. She did not think much of it when she put on the clothes her friend had given her,” Lin said.
“We have accepted Huang’s apology and she remains qualified to represent Taiwan” in the Games, Lin said, adding that the Sports Administration has reminded coaches and athletes to be more cautious with their statements on social media.
CTOC vice chairman Tsai Szu-chuen (蔡賜爵) said they would remind Huang to avoid actions that could touch a nerve.
NATIONAL SECURITY: The Chinese influencer shared multiple videos on social media in which she claimed Taiwan is a part of China and supported its annexation Freedom of speech does not allow comments by Chinese residents in Taiwan that compromise national security or social stability, the nation’s top officials said yesterday, after the National Immigration Agency (NIA) revoked the residency permit of a Chinese influencer who published videos advocating China annexing Taiwan by force. Taiwan welcomes all foreigners to settle here and make families so long as they “love the land and people of Taiwan,” Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told lawmakers during a plenary session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. The public power of the government must be asserted when necessary and the Ministry of
Proposed amendments would forbid the use of all personal electronic devices during school hours in high schools and below, starting from the next school year in August, the Ministry of Education said on Monday. The Regulations on the Use of Mobile Devices at Educational Facilities up to High Schools (高級中等以下學校校園行動載具使用原則) state that mobile devices — defined as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches or other wearables — should be turned off at school. The changes would stipulate that use of such devices during class is forbidden, and the devices should be handed to a teacher or the school for safekeeping. The amendments also say
EMBRACING TAIWAN: US lawmakers have introduced an act aiming to replace the use of ‘Chinese Taipei’ with ‘Taiwan’ across all Washington’s federal agencies A group of US House of Representatives lawmakers has introduced legislation to replace the term “Chinese Taipei” with “Taiwan” across all federal agencies. US Representative Byron Donalds announced the introduction of the “America supports Taiwan act,” which would mandate federal agencies adopt “Taiwan” in place of “Chinese Taipei,” a news release on his page on the US House of Representatives’ Web site said. US representatives Mike Collins, Barry Moore and Tom Tiffany are cosponsors of the legislation, US political newspaper The Hill reported yesterday. “The legislation is a push to normalize the position of Taiwan as an autonomous country, although the official US
CHANGE OF TONE: G7 foreign ministers dropped past reassurances that there is no change in the position of the G7 members on Taiwan, including ‘one China’ policies G7 foreign ministers on Friday took a tough stance on China, stepping up their language on Taiwan and omitting some conciliatory references from past statements, including to “one China” policies. A statement by ministers meeting in Canada mirrored last month’s Japan-US statement in condemning “coercion” toward Taiwan. Compared with a G7 foreign ministers’ statement in November last year, the statement added members’ concerns over China’s nuclear buildup, although it omitted references to their concerns about Beijing’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. Also missing were references stressing the desire for “constructive and stable relations with China” and
RSS