Some Excerpts from commentaries on Taiwan's rejection of Olympic torch

Wei’s Blog
Taiwan rejects Olympic torch? What are you thinking of, you idiotic government?!
Source (Chinese)

Yesterday, Beijing announced the route of passing the torch. I never thought that our idiotic government (Taiwan government) rejects the torch. It repeatedly protested against political intervention into sports. But it keeps intervening into sports with politics.

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Doesn’t you idiotic government like referendum very much? If you have guts, why not organize a referendum on whether we should accept the torch? It only cares about its own political interest and completely neglect the chance for Taiwan to expose herself to the world by delivering the torch. It also does not care about the positive effect on tourism. … …

When China changes the world?
Wang Ronglin
Source (Chinese)

… … In mainland China, for the Olympic Games 2008, all people work hard and invest a lot of human power, materials and money. In order to get the opportunities, the business people around the world compete to enter China. After the route of passing the Olympic torch is announced, the Olympic Games 2008 is officially opened. We can expect that after the torch begins to be delivered, the news about the Olympic Games 2008 will increasingly become the worldwide focus. And the atheletes of mainland China are also getting ready to show their power to get the honour for themselves and the country.

And how about Taiwan? Our government is paranoiac and too calculative. It takes a step forward for us: Rejecting the Olympic torce to come! We are still not sure if our athletes could join the games. In 1964, the torch of the Toyko Olympic Games had passed by Taiwan. If we miss and reject this chance, it will take a long time to have another one. Considering the current situation of the straits, the chance for Taiwan is less rather than plenty.

Stoop? Taiwan certainly stoops. We are the Republic of China but we are forced to use “Zhonghua Taipei” (Zhonghua means “Chinese” in general). This is the consensus. But the Beijing government calls us as “Zhongguo Taipei” (Zhongguo refers to “China” government). Although Taiwan could not show its national flag and anthem, when the flag of “Zhonghua Taipei” rise up and the song of “national flag” is played, we and the world know clearly that they represent the Republic of China.

Proving one’s existence with honour could move people’s heart much better than empty crying with sadness all the time. It could also raise the sense of dignity of the country and citizens.

Only a country with power deserves honour. When an athlete of “Taipei China” win a gold medal, the “national flag song” will resound in Beijing’s stadium. All people including the 1.3 billion people of the People’s Republic of China will hold their breath and look at the flag of “Taipei China” rising up. The problem is:

Do our athletes have this chance?

Let’s think about our government. In terms of honour, what has our government done? It cries for “loving Taiwan” for so many years. But it plays the role of pushing factor or barrier to Taiwan’s dignity? If the torch passed from Vietname to Taiwan and then to Hong Kong “dwarfs” Taiwan’s sovereignty, how about millions of Taiwanese people who depart from Taiwan to mainland China through Hong Kong every day? Do they dwarf Taiwan every day? Do we need to prevent them from doing so?

Our government does not take its job seriously. Its strategy of over-politicization is really sick. China is definitely the whole world. But the whole world is watching China. When Taiwan rejects China, does the world care about Taiwan?

The Route of Torch and the name of Taiwan: A Big Challenge to the China Government’s Wisdom
Source (Chinese)

… … Taiwan government rejects the route of the Olympic torch proposed by the China government. It was accused of politicization of sports by many media. Yet the China government also has political calculation in it: It insists on showing Taiwan’s as a part of China, even only showing it partially. .. …

Taiwan will come across a problem of “name” in her participation in the Beijing Olympic Games. Taiwan participates in the International Olympic Committee in the name of “Chinese Taipei”. At the very beginning, Beijing did not oppose. Beside the unification strategy, this English name could be translated into a Chinese name favourable to Beijing. China sees it as “Zhongguo Taipei” but Taiwan sees it as “Zhonghua Taipei”. Could Taiwan’s national sport team follow the placard of “Zhongguo Taipei” to enter the stadium in Beijing? … …

Regarding the route, is it possible to change it into: Ho Chi Minh City — Hong Kong — Macau — Phnom Penh — Singapore — Taiwan — Manila — Seoul — Phnom Penh — Dalian — Harbin — Tokyo — Qingdao … … According to their geographical positions, one could mix the Chinese cities and other cities together. I could eliminate any political effect and show China’s openness.

… … Regarding the name of Taiwan’s national team, could we do such a special arrangement: In order to avoid particularizing Taiwan, Beijing could use English names for all national teams. In the public space, any sign related to Taiwan is printed in English. In the presense of Taiwan’s national team, it is addressed as “Chinese Taipei” (English) rather than “Zhongguo Taipei”… …

A Machine making the Olympic Games
King Cheung (A cultural critic from Hong Kong)
Source

... ...When Hiseh Chang-ting run for election of Taipei City Mayor, he proposed to hold Taipei Olympic Games in 2020. It is very common that politicians make use of sport event to gain political interest. But in the news report last week, I heard a very naive notion. "Let's return politics to politics, sports to sports". What? What a childish notion! And there is notion of "being isolated from the big Olympic family". What big family? Very nauseating. Now it is not about going to the football field with close friends. It is the Olympic Games! Let's look back on its history. Let's see how the Olypic Games are so politicized and dirty.
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Back to the controversy over the Olympic torch. "Dwarfing Taiwan" , "In the third country and out of the third country", "No integrity and credibility", etc. I have no feeling at all. The Democratic Progressive Party makes use of the issue of "sovereignty" to accumulate political credits for the presidential election. The onlooker KMT is no exception. The China government designs the route of "Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau" route. It argues that "Outside route is not international route" and insists on the name of "China Taipei". These are not acceptable to Taiwanese who sees it as taking advantage of Taiwan. But the most fundamental question is: What is a big deal of delivering torch? If you see through the complex organizations behind the Games, would you still see delivering torch as sacred? If you really like running with a torch, I have a simple suggestion. The Student Union of Hong Kong University delivers a torch on June 4 every year. You may follow them. In the Sydney Olympic Games, it is at least a good idea to arrange the aboriginal athlete Cathy Freeman, whose grandmother was the "Stolen Generation" to carry the torch for the last trip. It was a expression of seeking ethnic reconciliation. It is not simply running and carrying the torch for photographers. If there is any meaning in this incident of rejecting the Olympic torch, let's see clearly how the politicians make use of the Games for their showing their gestures and what organization the International Olympic Committee is. Don't have the fantasy of being a spokesperson of "One China" in the People's Hall. Don't be nostalgic about the glorious days of the DDP with "Chen Shui Bien's hat".

Let me provide some additional information. Since 1976, under the pressure from China, Taiwan is not able to use the name of Taiwan, the national anthem and flag to join the Games. Taiwan refused it until it joined the Games again with the title of "Chinese Taipei", new song and flag. If you ask the opinions Taiwanese people on it, you will get a more realistic responses than the bickering between politicians... ...

I like sports. But I hate the machine making the Olympic Games.