Letter to the Editor — East Asian Youth Games yanked from Taiwan

Originally submitted to the Seattle Times, but was ignored

Note: This letter was originally submitted to the Seattle Times for publication; however, it was ignored. We publish it here because our fellow Americans should know what is going on.

To the Editors,

After a growing number of international airlines and companies have recently changed their website classifications of Taiwan under pressure from Beijing, China once again bullies Taiwan by dragging sports into politics. On July 24, Taiwan’s Taichung city was abruptly and unfairly deprived of the right to host the East Asian Youth Games (2019 EAYG) due to a resolution adopted at an Extraordinary Council meeting held by the East Asian Olympic Committee (EAOC). This unfair and illegal resolution is totally unacceptable to the government and the people of Taiwan.

Prior to its unilateral decision to cancel the “2019 EAYG”, EAOC did not formally inform the host, Taichung City, of any violation or failures to perform the Host City Contract, nor was Taichung city invited to participate in the meeting.

Moreover, in the letter from the EAOC addressed to Taichung City Government/Organizing Committee on July 25, not a single mention was made regarding the substantial reason behind the resolution, nor did it explain any violation on the part of Taichung City Government.

Soon after the EAOC passed the resolution, the Taiwan Affairs Office of China’s State Council released an official statement, claiming that EAOC’s cancellation of next year’s EAYG was due to a “name-change” referendum campaign initiated by some Taiwan citizens for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The Chinese authority’s statement publicly acknowledged that the “2019 EAYG” was cancelled for political reasons. It is a flagrant interruption of sports by political power!

Since winning the right to host the 2019 EAYG on October 24, 2014, Taichung city has invested more than US$21.87 million on preparation. Approximately 2,300 athletes and delegation members from 9 countries and regions were expected to participate in 14 competitions. All these efforts should be respected and not neglected, nor should it be nullified due to political factors.

EAOC’s unilateral decision was a disgraceful chapter in the history of international sports. In response to this unfair and unjustified cancellation of the 2019 EYAG, Taichung City Government and the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee（CTOC）each filed a request on July 30, urging the EAOC to reconsider the decision and reinstate Taichung City’s right to host the event. We call on friends in the international community to hear the voice of Taiwan, speak on our behalf and join us in fighting for the universal values of sportsmanship.

Sincerely,

Vincent C.H.Yao
Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Seattle

Mr. Vincent Chin Hsiang Yao is the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Seattle since September 2016. In his current position, Mr. Yao has been supervising TECO in Seattle’s work on broadening and deepening Taiwan’s diversified relations with the United States’ Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming) and the State of Alaska. His office is also responsible for consular affairs and taking care of the Taiwanese communities in these six states.