President Tsai Ing-wen said May 5 that Taiwan is committed to promoting gender equality within society, while cooperating with international friends to further the concept as it applies to sports.
Tsai made the remarks during the Women in Sports International Photo Awards ceremony and a forum on athletic diplomacy at National Taipei University in New Taipei City. Sports have the power to unite people across cultural and geographical divides, Tsai said, adding that she felt confident the event would bring much-needed attention to women in sports and sports photography.
Taiwan’s female athletes consistently give outstanding performances at international events and bring the country global recognition, Tsai said, citing those exceling not just in sports like badminton and weightlifting, but also in coaching and refereeing. Sports also help drive Taiwan’s engagement with other countries in the region, Tsai said, adding that the National Indigenous Games have welcomed participants from across the Indo-Pacific in recent years.
Taiwan is also working to advance gender equality in government, industry and throughout society, Tsai said. She said that 42 percent of the country’s legislators are women, and 37 percent of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Taiwan are led by women.
Tsai took the opportunity to thank the Taiwan Sports Forward Association, the American Institute in Taiwan and the U.S. State Department Global Sports Mentoring Program for co-organizing the event, adding that Taiwan and the U.S. share many values and are both working hard to make gender equality a reality. (YCH-E)
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