Taiwan says won't host torch, decision final
21/09/2007 |
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The Olympic torch will not stop in Taiwan en route to the Beijing Games in 2008, Taiwanese officials said on Friday after talks broke down with China which considers the self-ruled island sovereign territory.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials had wanted Taiwan and China to reach a verdict by Sept. 20, sports officials in Taipei said, which meant the matter was now closed.
Thomas Tsai, president of Taiwan's "Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee", told reporters that Beijing had "belittled" Taiwan throughout the negotiation process and insisted Taiwan could only use the flag and anthem as sanctioned by the IOC.
Tensions over the island's sovereignty are a constant source of acrimony between Taiwan and China, and have affected agreements from trade to sports, especially as independence-minded Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian leverages anti-China sentiment before his term ends in May.
China has claimed self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 and pledged to bring the democratic island's 23 million people under its rule, by force if necessary.
Tsai said Beijing insisted Taiwan follow IOC rules that limit the use of Taiwan's flag and anthem at Olympic events, including a torch stopover. The separate anthem and flag symbolise Taiwan's estrangement from China.
"I think it's very regrettable to get this result after six months of negotiations," Tsai said.
Organisers of the Beijing Games gave no immediate comment.
Beijing's proposed 130-day, 137,000-km (85,000-mile) route is set to be the longest ever and include an attempt to take the flame to the top of Mount Everest and five continents.
Taiwan first rejected the torch route in April because it linked Taipei to Hong Kong, implying that Taiwan was part of China, sports authorities said. The torch was set to reach 22 cities around the world before kicking off the Games in August.
China did not adjust the route during recent negotiations, Tsai said. But documents from Beijing indicated China was willing to call Taipei a "city outside the borders" rather than a domestic city. Beijing officials also call Hong Kong and Macau "outside the border", though they are regions of China.
Taiwan had no plans to boycott the Games, said Jongher Yang, minister of the Taiwan government's National Council on Physical Fitness. "Going to the Games is another matter," Yang told reporters. "It's our right."
Taiwan has recently taken jabs at Beijing by applying for U.N. membership and asking voters to sound off via a referendum on U.N. membership next year. China, recognised by 170 countries compared to Taiwan's meagre 24, has blocked Taiwan's U.N. bids for 15 years straight.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
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