Friday, April 27, 2007

The Olympic Torch

Taiwanese Government officials are angry!

Because China just released the route for the carrying of the olympic torch ahead of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. And guess what? The Route will go through Taiwan (or should I be saying "Chinese Taipei"?) The government in Taiwan strongly rejected the idea.

What will it mean?

Probably nothing else than more harmless political rhetoric in the short term. But as the Olympics approaches, the "Taiwan Issue" might once again become a sensitive debate and it shall become very interesting to see whether this issue would affect the 2008 Summer Games in any way.

Future prospects
One has to keep in mind that the people in Taiwan are slated to elect their new President only months before the games begin. If another Chen-like hardliner is elected, it could mean new controversies during the games, as it is possible that Taiwan would blow the "independence horn" (by either hinting at, or less likely, announcing their independence) on the eve of the Olympics. If a candidate from the KMT or Pan-Blue coalition wins (such as Ma Ying-jeou), complications regarding the Taiwan issue will probably not have an impact on the Summer Games.

But then again, anything could happen in the next 6-12 months.
What do you think?


Ahistoricality said...

I'll admit: I don't get it. Why wouldn't Taiwanese leaders want the torch passing through Taiwan?

Soeren said...

Taiwan doesn't want to give the rest of the world the impression that they're just another province of China.

There was also some dissent (mostly from Americans) in Tibet concerning the torch.

Ahistoricality said...

I still don't get it. Every news story on the torch passing through Tibet or Taiwan will highlight the disputes, so China loses on that score.

And the torch passes through a lot of countries on the way, not just the host.

SAP said...

That's a good point. Kind of follows the engagement as opposed to isolation -type argument.

I bet the DPP is assuming that although they could use the torch ceremony to cast light on the issue of independence, they are too afraid of the possibility that the torch bearing would appears as if mainland China controls Taiwan. And they would not want that, even at the risk of losing great publicity.

Asian Babes said...

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Anonymous said...

umm... well idk... taiwan is just being hard to get i think... saying they don't want it to pass through taiwan.... until china begs them then they will 'reluctantly' agree to it...