Taiwan Protests as Athlete Represents China in World Kendo Championships
Taiwan’s sports administration announced plans to protest after a Taiwanese kendo athlete, Su Yu-cheng, represented China in the 2024 World Kendo Championships held in Milan, Italy, from July 4-7. The issue was brought to light by YouTuber Potter King, prompting an investigation by Taiwan’s kendo association and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
The Taiwanese kendo association noted that Su has been living in Xiamen for a long time, but it is unclear if he has officially changed his citizenship to the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan competes in international sports events under the name ‘Chinese Taipei’ due to political pressure from China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province.
This ‘One China’ policy affects Taiwan’s participation in international sports, leading to diplomatic maneuvering to avoid exclusion or political backlash. Controversies often arise when Taiwanese athletes are seen representing China, leading to protests and investigations to clarify their nationality and affiliation.
Sporting events involving Taiwan and China, such as table tennis, badminton, and baseball, carry significant political symbolism. In 2009, Taiwan was initially denied the right to host the East Asian Youth Games due to pressure from China. During the Tokyo Olympics, China influenced international sports organizations to prevent Taiwan from using its national flag and anthem, highlighting ongoing disputes over Taiwan’s representation in sports.
These incidents underscore the ongoing challenges and diplomatic sensitivities between China and Taiwan in sports, where issues of national identity, representation, and international recognition frequently arise.
Doubts Revealed
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island in East Asia, near China. It has its own government, but China claims it as part of its territory.
China -: China is a large country in East Asia. It has a lot of influence and often has disagreements with Taiwan about its independence.
World Kendo Championships -: The World Kendo Championships is a big international competition where people from different countries compete in kendo, a Japanese martial art using bamboo swords.
Su Yu-cheng -: Su Yu-cheng is a kendo athlete from Taiwan who competed in the World Kendo Championships.
YouTuber Potter King -: Potter King is a person who makes videos on YouTube. He talked about the issue of Su Yu-cheng representing China, which brought attention to it.
Taiwan’s kendo association -: This is a group in Taiwan that manages and organizes kendo activities and competitions for Taiwanese athletes.
Mainland Affairs Council -: This is a government body in Taiwan that deals with issues and policies related to China.
Chinese Taipei -: Chinese Taipei is the name Taiwan uses when it competes in international sports events. This is because of the ‘One China’ policy.
One China policy -: The ‘One China’ policy is China’s stance that there is only one China, which includes Taiwan. This policy affects how Taiwan is represented internationally.
diplomatic challenges -: Diplomatic challenges are problems that arise in relationships between countries, often involving disagreements or conflicts.
