All Taiwan wanted to do was to host rugby teams from around the region for a series of matches. Instead, Chinese representatives challenged its proposal this summer, saying that China should take over.
After a month of negotiations, the two agreed to take turns hosting the games over the next six years.
Rugby is a minor sport in both places, but diplomats and officials say the spat illustrates China’s willingness to swipe at Taiwan over the pettiest of points.
“They want to entirely block our sporting events. If we are to host one, they will either try to kill it or try to take the hosting rights from you,” Chinese Taipei Rugby Football Union general secretary Jeremy Pai (白維文) said.
The Chinese Rugby Football Association said the challenge simply aimed to promote rugby in China and had no political motivation.
From a painted-over flag in Australia, to the revocation of an Olympics-related event and the sudden absence of two Chinese players in a golf competition, China is using the international stage to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan.
“China is willing to break international norms to pursue its narrow interests,” said a person with direct knowledge of the matter who declined to be named.
In May, a Republic of China flag students painted on a statue at an Australian festival was covered by authorities after Chinese diplomats in Brisbane reported a “problem.”
“The Australian government’s agreement with China is that Australia does not recognize Taiwan as a separate country,” Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow wrote in a statement after the incident.
Taiwanese officials said the Chinese pressure could be counterproductive, as public resentment toward Beijing runs high.
More than 80 percent of Taiwanese think China’s bid to squeeze Taiwan hurts cross-strait ties, a Mainland Affairs Council poll taken in August found.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
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