Taipei is planning to launch a bid for the 2030 Asian Games and might seek Beijing’s “understanding,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.
Taipei has proven its ability to host the Asiad following its success in hosting the 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade, Ko said on the sidelines of the opening of the Taipei Tourism Expo.
“Taiwan should go global and should not be restricted to one place all the time,” he said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Ko is to depart on Thursday next week for a four-day visit to Japan, where he is scheduled to visit the organizing committee of next year’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to help Taipei prepare a potential 2030 Asiad bid.
He would also send delegations to Hangzhou, China, and Nagoya, Japan — host cities for the 2022 and 2026 Asian Games respectively — to observe how they are preparing for the major international sports event.
Asked how China might influence Taiwan’s bid, Ko said that Beijing would likely exert pressure to keep Taiwan from hosting, but added that he would seek its understanding.
Ko said that he would try his best to achieve the goal, even though he only gave himself a score of 55 in the area of cross-strait relations, which could decide whether the bid succeeds.
Media reports have said that there are at least six other potential bidders for the 2030 Games: India, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
Taiwan has since 1990 made three attempts to host the Asiad without success.
Last year’s edition was held in Jakarta.
No deadline has been set for when bids must be submitted or when the 2030 host city is to be decided.
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