The New Power Party (NPP) yesterday urged former NBA player Jeremy Lin (林書豪) to learn more about the diversity of Taiwanese after he secured a Republic of China (ROC) passport, while some sports commentators said that playing for Taiwan might not be what motivated him to apply for the passport.
The 31-year-old Taiwanese-American rose to fame in 2012 after helping guide the New York Knicks out of a slump. He led them on a seven-game winning streak and to the playoffs that season, prompting the term “Linsanity” after several clutch plays.
He has been playing for the Beijing Ducks since last year.
Photo taken from YouTube
The nation has watched Lin’s meteoric rise from a rookie in the NBA to star player, the NPP said, adding that Taiwan must mean something to him, as it was often the first stop of his Asian tours when NBA seasons finished.
People in Taiwan not only appreciate Lin’s basketball skills and fighting spirit on the court, but also his courage to speak out against racial discrimination and injustice that minority basketball players face in the US, the party said.
Addressing Lin, the NPP asked: “However, did you know Taiwan has a complicated history and is not a peaceful place under the surface?”
“Every day, we face choices over what values we want,” it said.
“You have said that you know nothing about politics, but political issues are something that we as Taiwanese have to grapple with for the rest of our lives,” it said.
“We hope that you can familiarize yourself with issues concerning Taiwanese and hear their diverse voices,” it said, adding that he is welcome to forge dialogues with the NPP and other groups in Taiwan while pursuing his basketball career.
Aside from securing the passport, Lin is reportedly seeking household registration under Taiwan’s special immigration program for high-level professionals.
Lin’s father reportedly met with Minister of Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) on Wednesday.
Lin is known for his athletic achievements in the US and China, Hsu said, adding that hopefully if he settles in Taiwan, it would boost the nation’s sports development.
Basketball fans also expressed hope that Lin would one day represent Taiwan in the sport.
However, some sports commentators said that playing for Taiwan might not be what motivated Lin to apply for the passport.
As a US citizen, Lin was considered a foreign player by the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), they said.
Securing an ROC passport enables him to apply for a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents and the CBA’s special rules for players from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau would apply to him, they said.
As a “domestic player,” the Beijing Ducks would have a free spot to recruit another foreign player, they said.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last year implemented 26 measures for Taiwanese, one of which allows athletes to compete as domestic players in Chinese professional soccer, basketball, table tennis and other sports.
If Lin wants to play for Taiwan, International Basketball Association rules require that he compete as a naturalized player, as he did not receive his second nationality — Taiwanese — until after he turned 16.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Taoyuan would issue a decision at 8pm on whether to cancel work and school tomorrow due to forecasted heavy rain, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said today. Hsieh told reporters that absent some pressing reason, the four northern cities would announce the decision jointly at 8pm. Keelung is expected to receive between 300mm and 490mm of rain in the period from 2pm today through 2pm tomorrow, Central Weather Administration data showed. Keelung City Government regulations stipulate that school and work can be canceled if rain totals in mountainous or low-elevation areas are forecast to exceed 350mm in
China Airlines Ltd (CAL) yesterday morning joined SkyTeam’s Aviation Challenge for the fourth time, operating a demonstration flight for “net zero carbon emissions” from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Bangkok. The flight used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a ratio of up to 40 percent, the highest proportion CAL has achieved to date, the nation’s largest carrier said. Since April, SAF has become available to Taiwanese international carriers at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Kaohsiung International Airport and Taoyuan airport. In previous challenges, CAL operated “net zero carbon emission flights” to Singapore and Japan. At a ceremony at Taoyuan airport, China Airlines chief sustainability
RSS