Su Yu-cheng (right)shares his experience of serving as the flag bearer for the Chinese Kendo team during the opening ceremony of the 19th World Kendo Championships at the 12th Taiwan Straits Youth Festival Summit held in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province on August 15, 2024. Photo: VCG

While the Chinese mainland delegation marked a historic breakthrough at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, Taiwan's secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have faced strong backlash after aggressively promoting "Taiwan values" and politicizing sports by establishing a sports authority and advocating for the use of the name "Taiwan" in international competitions.  

On September 9, Taiwan's administrative authorities convened sports figures to prepare for the establishment of a sports authority and for teams to use the name "Taiwan" at international competitions. Speaking at the preparatory meeting, Cho Jung-tai, leader of the administrative authority of Taiwan, touted this move as one with "across-the-board consensus" on the island and promised swift legislative approval for its formal operation in 2025. 

He also revealed on August 28 that Taiwan is planning to host international events "under its own name," thereby increasing its "global visibility."

In response to the attention-seeking behavior of Taiwan politicians, on September 11, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, stated that the current "Olympic model" is a widely recognized approach in the international sports community for addressing questions related to Taiwan region. This model is a principle that both sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to, aligning with the fundamental interests of the sports community in the island and the mainland.  

Experts reached by the Global Times highlighted that the drive to increase Taiwan's presence on the global stage is a recurring theme among DPP politicians, as part of a broader strategy to internationalize the Taiwan question across all spheres, including sports. Their ultimate goal is to leverage international sporting events to expand their dwindling global space and accelerate "Taiwan independence" agenda.

By turning sports into another political influence battleground, what are the potential ramifications of this calculated move?

Ridiculous political manipulation

Medal winners take a group photo after the badminton men's doubles at the Paris Olympics on August 4, 2024. Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin of Chinese Taipei won over Chinese duo Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang to take the badminton men's doubles title. Photo: IC

"The DPP's efforts are not aimed at improving Taiwan island's athletic performance, but rather promoting its secessionist agenda on the global stage," Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies at Xiamen University, told the Global Times.  

Recent attempts by DPP supporters to politicize sports have been riddled with manipulation and disinformation.  

Before the Paris 2024 Olympics, Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te has called on citizens to "push Taiwan onto the world stage," which fueled the spread of rumors on social media platforms, claiming that Taiwan athletes would compete under the name "Taiwan" instead of "Chinese Taipei." On Facebook, such posts were blocked and labeled as "false information."

DPP-aligned media sources and individuals also launched polls for participating or holding international event under the name of "Taiwan," attempting to confuse the public, and making people believe that this is an act of "speaking up for Taiwan."

According to Olympic rules, the island of Taiwan must compete as "Chinese Taipei" during the Olympic Games and use the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee flag as its official flag. 

"They're brainwashing people into believing that athletes competing or local authorities hosting events in the name of Taiwan is politically correct," Zhang stated.

The DPP has long sought to boost Taiwan athletes' profiles during major events like the Olympic Games. 

In December 2021, the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office stated that a very small number of separatist forces on the island, supported and indulged by the DPP authorities, have repeatedly attempted to participate in international sports events, including the 2024 Paris Olympics, under the name "Taiwan" through a so-called "referendum proposal." This effort is an attempt to politicize sports events for their own agenda and is nothing more than a sensational political maneuver.

In 2018, some "pro-independence" groups in Taiwan held a "referendum" on competing under the name "Taiwan" at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. However, the proposal was ultimately rejected, with 54.8 percent of voters opting against it. That same year, the East Asian Olympic Committee (EAOC) canceled the 2019 East Asian Youth Games (EAYG) scheduled to be held in Taichung. 

A poll published by Taiwan media outlet United Daily News about the public opinion on the cancellation later revealed that nearly 90 percent of respondents believed the DPP's actions had led to Taiwan island losing the hosting rights. 

"The thinking behind DPP's move is simple: If they can't make headway through diplomatic channels, then sports events are their next option," Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times, noting that this strategy has become particularly relevant since the DPP came to power and faced increased isolation on the international stage. With access to numerous international conferences restricted, holding sporting events has become a way to regain some lost ground and project an image of global engagement.

However, compared with the DPP's ambitions, the island's current "international" sporting events often attract only a handful of countries and regions. But for the DPP, as long as there are foreign athletes participating - even with limited participation - hosting these events under the banner of "Taiwan" serves as valuable promotional material for their goal of "internationalization."

"By doing so, the DPP aims to create an illusion that Taiwan is more internationally recognized and respected than reality suggests. Such political manipulation deceives the Taiwan resident into ultimately indulging "Taiwan independence" forces and further eroding cross-Straits relations," Sheng Jiuyuan, director of the Center for Taiwan Studies at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, told the Global Times.

An unreal sporting stage   

A view of the island of Taiwan. Photo: VCG

Experts also noted that Team Chinese Taipei's recent two gold-medal victories at the Paris 2024 Olympics sparked a flurry of activity from the DPP, who quickly sought to capitalize on the success and rallied public support for its plan for a new sports authority. 

However, Sheng pointed out that Taiwan's sporting landscape is plagued by instability, with frequent changes in leadership reflecting a lack of consistent commitment from successive administrations. 

According to Lai's promise, after the establishment of the sports authority, it is expected that an annual budget of NT$20 billion ($627 million) will be allocated for sports-related development. This investment represents only 0.07 percent of Taiwan's projected GDP in 2024.

Local sports insiders highlighted that Taiwan athletes lack international experience and are hindered by inadequate basic sports infrastructure. These issues underscore the DPP's short-sighted approach to investing in sports.

"The DPP's attitude toward culture, education, or sports is the same: They prioritize showcasing 'Taiwan independence' politics over the well-being of its citizens," said Wang.

Adding to the controversy, while the DPP emphasizes its commitment to sports development for the benefit of people's livelihoods, their primary focus remains on "resisting reunification by force," as their proposed defense budget for 2025 is an astonishing NT$647 billion, which far exceeds any investment in sports and is expected to account for 2.45 percent of Taiwan's GDP. 

"The DPP administration is attempting to manipulate athletes' honor and dreams for political gain," lamented Zhang. 

Shared path of progress 

Despite persistent secessionist attempts by the DPP, cross-Straits exchanges on sports continue unabated. 

The recent victory of Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin from Chinese Taipei over the Chinese mainland duo of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in the men's doubles badminton event at the Paris 2024 Olympics has ignited a lively discussion on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. 

Taiwan legal scholar Weng Hsiao-ling praised the high-level competition between the two teams as "a source of pride for all Chinese people."

Another shining example is Su Yu-cheng, a Taiwan athlete who competed for the Chinese national team in the 19th World Kendo Championships held in July, where he qualified for the top 16. His statement, "To represent my nation at such a prestigious international sporting event is an honor," encapsulates the aspiration shared by many athletes on both sides of Taiwan Straits.

The Chinese mainland consistently supports cross-Straits sports exchanges and welcomes the Taiwan region's participation in international competitions. The State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office explicitly states its commitment to fostering cross-Straits relations through sports in its "26 measures to enhance cross-Straits economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation" issued in November 2019, actively facilitating the ability of Taiwan athletes, coaches, and personnel to train, compete, work, and interact in the Chinese mainland.

Close communication and cooperation within the sporting communities have led to a rich variety of collaborative activities spanning competitive sports, sports industries, sports science, and youth development.

In April 2023, a delegation from the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee visited the mainland. At that time, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, commented that the 19th Asian Games, which opened in Hangzhou in September 2023, served as an important platform for the sports communities on both sides of the Straits to share opportunities.

Taiwan's future in sports development lies in collaboration with the Chinese mainland. Without this partnership, under the DPP's manipulation, Taiwan's sports industry will only stagnate, and the island's athletes' futures will become increasingly limited, analysts said.

Underhanded attempts