New Power Party (NPP) lawmakers and human rights groups yesterday talked about Taiwan boycotting next year’s Winter Olympics in China, but the legislative resolution they proposed fell short.
China “is not fit to be the host country of the Olympic Games” given its long history of human rights abuses and disregard for democratic values, NPP Chairwoman Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) told a news conference.
Beijing has also frequently sent People’s Liberation Army aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone to exert military pressure on the nation, she said, calling on other parties to support a resolution put forth by the NPP earlier this month.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
However, the proposal only urges the Cabinet to “carefully assess and pay attention to international efforts to boycott the 24th Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022, and come up with a correct response at an appropriate time.”
It is scheduled to be discussed in cross-party negotiations.
Chen said it is important for Taiwan to take a stance on the Winter Games, which are to be held from Feb. 4 to 20, because it participates in the international community.
Although Taiwan is a small country, it should uphold its fundamental values, such as democracy and human rights, she said.
Taiwan Association for China Human Rights founder Yang Sen- hong (楊憲宏) said the main goal of the proposed resolution is to pressure the Cabinet to take a stance on the Beijing Olympics, stand with other democratic countries and address the Winter Games in ways that are aligned with the international community.
Human rights organizations around the world have been calling on democratic governments to diplomatically boycott the Games as a means to protest the human rights situations in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.
A diplomatic boycott would mean that no high-level government officials would be sent to Beijing.
A boycott of the Beijing Games would not have major consequences for Taiwan. Considering the poor relations between Taipei and Beijing, Taiwanese government officials are unlikely to attend.
Taiwan traditionally sends few athletes to the Winter Games, having only sent four to Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018 and three to Sochi, Russia, in 2014. It is not yet clear how many will qualify for Beijing.
NPP Legislator Wang Wan-yu (王婉諭) said her party and the human rights groups support Taiwanese athletes competing in international competitions, but at the same time believe it equally important to speak out on human rights issues.
“If we wish to protect athletes, we should not be afraid to speak out” against China, Wang said, referring to the alleged disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai (彭帥) after she accused former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli (張高麗) of sexual assault last month.
Although the International Olympics Committee said in a statement on Nov. 21 that Peng “was doing fine,” there are still concerns about her safety and well-being.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS