Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and
Sports Affairs Council, Executive Yuan Taiwan (Republic of China)
With the assistance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Chinese
Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC) of Taiwan and the Beijing Organizing Committee
for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) have engaged in talks regarding
arrangements for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Torch relay route through Taiwan for
more than one month; the two sides, however, have failed to reach an agreement,
thus making it impossible for the Torch to come to Taiwan. Our side wishes to
express our deep regret over such a result.
On July 18, 2007, the IOC simultaneously sent letters to the CTOC and the
BOCOG, expressing the hope that the CTOC and the BOCOG should reach an agreement
on the Torch relay by August 15, 2007. On August 2, 2007, we sent a formal
letter to the BOCOG suggesting that the two committees discuss relay route
issues. The suggestion was accepted and talks began on August 11, 2007 in
Beijing. With our request, the IOC agreed to extend the deadline of the
negotiation till the end of August.
After various communications, the two sides reached an initial consensus on
the Olympic Torch relay route at the end of August this year. According to this
consensus, the BOCOG promises to abide by a 1989 agreement between the CTOC and
the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), and will no longer refer to the CTOC and
Taiwans athletic delegation as China Taipei in Chinese moniker, but Chinese
Taipei. Second, the BOCOG further confirms that Olympic Torch relay route
through Taipei is overseas route, not Chinas domestic route. Third, the BOCOG
will no longer use the term of area in the expression of the overseas relay
route, avoiding the implication of dwarfing Taiwans status. We, for our part,
have agreed that, under the aforesaid conditions, the Olympic Torch will come to
Taipei from Ho Chi Minh City and go onward from Taipei to Hong Kong.
Regrettably, however, after the two sides have reached a consensus on the
Olympic Torch relay route, the BOCOG deliberately raised new conditions one day
before the CTOC representative left for Beijing for signing the agreement.
Beijing demanded that the following words based on the four-point consensus
reached on February 12, 2007 at the meeting of the two sides (attached) should
be incorporated into the text of the new memoir of the meeting. Our side has
particular concerns on the fourth point, When the Olympic Torch relay
activities are held within the territory of the CTOC, the use of flags, emblems,
and songs should be strictly enforced in accordance with the rules formulated by
the IOC Executive Board. Simultaneously, the CTOC has the obligation to
coordinate with related agencies to make a promise that flags, emblems, and
songs that do not conform to the aforementioned regulations will not be used
during the process of the Torch relay activities. That is to say, any kind of
flags, emblems and songs can not be displayed during the process of the Torch
relay to Taiwan. For instance, our audience alongside the Torch relay route can
not use our national flag, national emblem and national anthem.
With regard to the Olympic Torch relay runners within the territory of the
CTOC, since the CTOC is a national Olympic committee of the IOC family members,
it will surely abide by the IOC rules and protocols regarding the use of flags,
emblems, and songs. However, the above-mentioned restrictions on audience
alongside the Torch relay route are imposed by the BOCOG, which has no
connection with the existing rules and protocols of the IOC.
In addition, it is likely that many Taiwanese people might want to use
various kinds of flags, emblems and songs to enthusiastically welcome the
Olympic Torch. Since Taiwan is a democratic country where the Taiwanese people
enjoy full freedom of speech, our government cannot restrict our people from
using any kind of flags, emblems and songs during the whole process of the Torch
relay. Furthermore, our government will be unable to enforce the rules and many
conflicts are likely to occur during the whole process of the Torch relay.
Although on February 12, 2007, the CTOC and the BOCOG signed a memoir of the
meeting for the four-point consensus on the relay route, our side found
subsequently that the BOCOG has not only evidently violated the agreement signed
between the CTOC and the COC in 1989, but has also severely dwarfed Taiwans
status. As such, when the Torch relay route was announced on April 26, 2007, our
side immediately announced our disapproval of the BOCOGs announcement of
arrangements for the Olympic Torch relay route. Under such circumstances, the
original agreement between the two sides no longer exists. On July 18, 2007, the
IOC sent a letter to the CTOC, confirming that the original agreement between
the two sides no longer exists. Therefore, the IOC urged both sides across the
Taiwan Strait to conduct a new round of negotiations; otherwise, it will
announce on August 15, 2007 that the Torch will not pass through the territory
of the CTOC. Based on this stance, our side has shown active willingness to
re-negotiate with the BOCOG, hoping that with our greatest sincerity and
goodwill, we can smoothly reach a new bilateral consensus, so that the Olympic
Torch can smoothly come to Taiwan.
Early August this year, the two sides resumed negotiations according to the
IOCs requests. As of August 29, 2007, the two sides have reached a new
three-point consensus. During this period, the two sides have never through the
exchange of letters mentioned the four-point consensus reached on February 12,
2007. Moreover, the version of the cross-strait consensus reached at the end of
August this year was mainly proposed by Beijing; our side agreed, in principle,
with our revision, with a view to reaching a cross-strait consensus within the
deadline set by the IOC. Subsequently, our side briefed the IOC on the new
three-point consensus between the two sides. As such, the IOC expressed praise
and support for the new consensus.
On the afternoon of September 6, 2007, however, the BOCOG suddenly phoned our
side intending to demand that the wording the four-point consensus reached on
February 12, 2007 be incorporated into the text of the new memoir of the
meeting. Our side stated that we cannot accept such a demand because this is in
essence a new issue. Our side reiterated to the BOCOG that the three-point
consensus reached on August 29, 2007 between the two sides was not based on the
foundation of the four-point consensus reached on February 12, 2007; the
four-point consensus reached on February 12, 2007 has no longer existed, and our
side has no willingness to re-confirm it either. Beijings new demand has
finally resulted in the failure of the two sides to reach an agreement before
the deadline set by the IOC. It is definitely confirmed that the 2008 Olympic
Torch will not come to Taiwan. We would like to express our deep regret over
such result.
Although the recent talks on the Olympic Torch relay have proven futile due
to Beijings new demand in the last minute, we nevertheless wish to express our
gratitude to the IOC for its help. As one of IOC members, we surely will
actively participate in the competitions and related activities of the 2008
Beijing Olympic Games.
We hope that China can contemplate from this dispute concerning the Olympic
Torch relay arrangements: It should deal with all Olympic-related affairs in the
Olympic spirit of peace, friendship, and parity; it should honor its agreements
with Taiwan and adhere to Olympic protocol. Only then will it be possible for
the Beijing Olympic Games to be conducted smoothly and successfully.