Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) yesterday defended her comments lauding the victory of Taiwan’s badminton duo at the Paris Olympics as “the pride of Chinese people.”
Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) on Sunday won the first gold medal for Taiwan in the men’s doubles at this year’s Olympics.
Lee and Wang’s gold medal win is the “Pride of Chinese people,” Weng wrote on China’s WeChat social media app.
Photo: Taipei Times file
In response to media queries yesterday, she said: “We are Chinese... No matter who wins, Team Taiwan or the team from mainland China, it is still the pride of all Chinese people. I see nothing wrong in my statement.”
Speaking at a news conference in Taipei, Democratic Progressive Party caucus secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) asked: “Which team was Weng rooting for?” as she watched Lee and Wang face their Chinese opponents at the finals.
“It is very regretful that Weng receives a salary from the [Taiwanese] government, serves as a Taiwanese lawmakers but she does not stand with Taiwan,” Wu added.
Separately yesterday, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) and KMT think tank deputy director Ling Tao (凌濤) celebrated the badminton win by distributing fried chicken cutlets and bubble tea at the party’s headquarters in Taipei.
Asked about Weng’s post, Chu said: “Right now our whole society is celebrating... We are all cheering for Lee and Yang, as we are proud of both of them.”
“We were all nervous and excited while watching the match on Sunday, and it ended joyfully and our country is celebrating [the victory] together,” he said.
“It has been a long time since we have experienced such joy. When the Republic of China’s National Flag Anthem was played, we were very moved. It was a feeling that everyone shared as we watched it on TV in support of our beloved Chinese Taipei team,” he said.
Additional reporting with CNA
People should continue to cheer for Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) at the Olympics Games in Paris today, despite British writer J.K. Rowling’s remarks against her, the Sports Administration said in a statement on Wednesday. Rowling recently shared on X a story from the Guardian about Lin and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif being cleared to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris this year despite having failed gender eligibility tests at the International Boxing Association Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi last year. “What will it take to end this insanity? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer
DISCRIMINATORY: Airlines’ uniform requirements contravene the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, a watchdog said Airline companies’ appearance requirements obliging female flight attendants to wear pencil skirts and high heels are discriminatory, and they should be able to have the option to wear pants, the National Human Rights Commission said in a report yesterday. Completing a year-long probe, commission members said the uniform requirements of Taiwan’s air carriers contravened the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). To fight gender-based discrimination, government agencies should issue guidelines and require airlines to make changes so that female flight attendants have the option to wear pants, the report said. The Taoyuan Flight Attendants’ Union in
SATELLITE MISSION: Today’s mission is to take off from the Xichang Launch Center and is pathed over Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, the defense ministry said China has a rocket launch scheduled for today, with the path likely to cross Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The launch would be among at least a dozen Chinese satellite missions in the past 18 months that have passed over the zone or Taiwan, although none threatened national security as they had left the atmosphere by that stage in their flight. The ministry first started making details of such launches public this year. Today’s mission is to take off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China’s Sichuan Province, the ministry said, citing an official announcement
COGNITIVE WARFARE: The People’s Liberation Army’s recent military exercises near Taiwan aim to intimidate the Taiwanese public, a legislator said Two sorties of Chinese drones were detected flying around the perimeter of Taiwan proper between 6am on Saturday and 6am yesterday, according to the Ministry of National Defense. A total of 31 Chinese military aircraft — which included several drones — and 12 Chinese warships were detected operating in and near the Taiwan Strait over the 24-hour period, the ministry said. Institute for National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said the maneuvers were likely aimed at affecting public sentiment in Taiwan, demonstrating defiance toward the US’ two-plus-two talks with India and Australia, and enacting China’s polarized strategy of pushing