China welcomes Taiwan’s participation in the Beijing Winter Olympics under the name Chinese Taipei, but would likely do everything in its power to insinuate it is part of “one China,” a national security official said yesterday.
Ahead of the Games’ scheduled to start on Feb. 4, Chinese Olympic Committee Secretary-General Song Keqin (宋克勤) has reportedly outlined Beijing’s plan for how to portray Taiwan and its athletes.
It is reportedly to respect a 1981 agreement that allows Taiwan’s participation in international sporting events under the name Chinese Taipei, as well as offer wildcard entry to Taiwanese athletes who fail to qualify.
Photo: CNA
A video has also reportedly been made featuring Taiwanese living in Beijing lauding the Games.
However, a national security official raised concern over Beijing’s supposed plan for the Parade of Nations during the opening and closing ceremonies.
As in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, national teams are to enter the stadium according to the first simplified character of their title in Chinese.
China, as the host country, enters last, while Taiwan would enter relatively early according to the first character in Chinese Taipei (中華台北).
However, an official with knowledge of the matter said that Beijing plans to have Taiwan march alongside teams from Hong Kong and Macau, which would officially have “China” at the beginning of their title.
This is intended to emphasize its idea of “one China” by having the three teams enter together, he said.
China Central Television also plans to announce the team in Chinese as its version of “Chinese Taipei” (中國台北), which does away with the ambiguity of the official title, while echoing its names for Hong Kong and Macau, the official added.
This expected move is likely a response to Japanese broadcaster NHK’s introduction of the nation as “Taiwan” during this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, he said.
In addition, China is likely to use its influence as host nation to increase Taiwan’s visibility in the Games and recruit Taiwanese volunteers, all with the goal of promoting its vision of national rejuvenation through unification, the official said.
In light of China’s relentless intimidation and its known plans for the Games, “it would be a disgrace” if Taiwan still decides to participate, he added.
Under the 1981 agreement signed in Lausanne, Switzerland, with the International Olympic Committee, Taiwan participates in the Games under the name Chinese Taipei and the Chinese Taipei Olympic flag.
Eight years later, Beijing and Taipei met in Hong Kong to settle on the Chinese name “Chinese Taipei” (中華台北) for all Olympics-related materials.
However, in China’s view, as expressed ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games, the agreement does not apply to organizations outside of the Olympic system, such as Chinese media.
The US earlier this month said it would stage a diplomatic boycott of the Games.
When asked if Taiwan would follow suit, the Presidential Office said that an “appropriate response” would be made after ensuring that athletes’ participation would not be affected.
Additional reporting by CNA
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as