Taichung announces plans to host Asia-Pacific youth games in 2019

2018/09/05

Taichung City plans to stage the inaugural Asia-Pacific youth games next year after the central Taiwan metropolis was stripped of its right to host the 2019 East Asian Youth Games due to political interference from China, according to the local government Sept. 3.
 
 The event is expected to be held earlier in the year than the EAYG, originally scheduled for August, and include participants from countries and territories throughout the Asia-Pacific. Featured athletic disciplines will be similar to those of the EAYG and take place at venues initially prepared for that multisport competition, Taichung City Government said.
 
 Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung announced the plans at an unveiling ceremony for 12 sculptures commissioned for the EAYG at the plaza in front of the city hall. He said the decision to hold the Asia-Pacific youth games came after extensive discussions with the Cabinet and the Office of the President, adding that the former will conduct an interdepartmental meeting later this week to flesh out the details for the event.
 
 The city will keep its promise to all the young athletes who have expended great effort in preparing for the EAYG and provide them with a world-class stage to showcase their talents, Lin said, adding that he expects the number of participants to be larger than that slated for the EAYG.
 
 According to the mayor, sport knows no borders and should not be subject to political interference. The city is confident that people from all around the world will travel to Taichung for the Asia-Pacific youth games, he said.
 
 Minister without Portfolio Chang Jing-sen said the central government will work with Taichung to hold an event superior to the EAYG. It is also providing full backing for municipal authorities’ efforts to transform the city into an international hub of competitive sports and elite-level athletic training, he added.
 
 In July, China exerted political pressure on the East Asian Olympic Committee to strip Taichung of its right to host the EAYG. The following month, Taichung’s appeal was rejected by the EAOC, with the local government seeking legal recourse on the matter, according to TCG.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=10&post=140921)