Taipei Office in Chennai Holds 100-Person Badminton Tournament, Calling for Support for Taiwan's WHA Participation

(Central News Agency, Reporter Li Chin-wei, New Delhi, May 18) The Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chennai and the Tamil Nadu Badminton Association (TNBA) held a badminton tournament on the 17th, hoping to use the healthy sports activity to call on all sectors in India to support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA).

The 79th WHA is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, from today until the 23rd. Taiwan is unable to participate due to pressure from China. The Chennai office decided to hold a "Fun Fitness, Support Taiwan's Participation in the World Health Organization (WHO)" badminton tournament and social event in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to call on all sectors in India to support Taiwan's participation in the WHA.

About 100 people, including Indian citizens and Taiwanese businesspeople forming 16 teams, participated in the event, joining guests like V. E. Arunachalam, Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Badminton Association, to cheer for Taiwan's bid to join the WHO.

Richard S. C. Hsu, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chennai, told the Central News Agency that badminton is an activity for all ages and is very popular in both Taiwan and India. With Taiwanese players, including Olympian Lee Yang, having won Olympic gold medals, Taiwan's badminton strength has a certain level of recognition in India, raising hopes that Taiwan can enhance its relationship with India through the sport.

Concurrent with the tournament, Hsu also formally announced the establishment of the "South India Taiwan Alumni Association" and appointed Sumit Bothra, an international relations scholar from the University of Madras, as its first president.

Bothra stated that relations between Taiwan and India have developed rapidly in recent years, and investment from Taiwanese businesses in southern India continues to increase. For India, anyone who has been to Taiwan has an excellent impression of it. He hopes to use this pro-Taiwan force to enhance the relationship between Taiwan and India.

Arunachalam mentioned that Tamil Nadu has a large population of badminton enthusiasts. Seeing many Taiwanese people in Chennai also love playing badminton, he hopes this event can truly bring Taiwan and India closer, which the Tamil Nadu Badminton Association is happy to see, and looks forward to more cooperation with Taiwan in the future. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150518