Taiwan Celebrates Historic Olympics Badminton Win Over China Amid Political Strains: '...Chance To Prove Strength And To Affirm Our International Status'

In a politically charged contest, Taiwan rejoiced over its men’s doubles badminton gold medal triumph against China at the Paris Olympics.

What Happened: Taiwan’s reigning champions from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Wang Chi-Lin and Lee Yang, secured a thrilling three-game victory over China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang. The win sparked widespread celebrations across Taiwan, from Taipei to Kaohsiung, with thousands of fans gathering around public screens.

Over 1,000 spectators assembled at Taipei’s main train station, cheering for each point won by the home duo. The victory marked Taiwan’s first gold medal in the Paris Games against China, which had already secured 19 gold medals.

The win has highlighted Taiwan’s ongoing sovereignty disputes with China. Taiwan competes under the name ‘Chinese Taipei’ in the Olympics to avoid objections from China, which claims the island as its own territory. The victory is seen as a symbol of Taiwan’s strength and international status.

Before the final, some Taiwanese supporters were forced to remove Taiwan flag face paintings and had banners confiscated due to Olympic rules prohibiting political messaging.

“This is a chance to prove Taiwan’s strength and to affirm our international status,” said Irene Lai, a Taiwanese supporter.

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Why It Matters: This victory comes in the wake of escalating tensions between China and Taiwan. Earlier, China suspended talks with the U.S. on arms control and nuclear proliferation in July, in response to the U.S.’s continued arms sales to Taiwan.

Furthermore, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te had warned that China’s threat to any individual country should be considered a global threat. The president praised Wang and Lee for their hard-fought victory, calling them “the country’s glory.” The win has been hailed as a demonstration of Taiwan’s spirit, with hopes that it will help the island gain international recognition.

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Photo by patera on Shutterstock

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari