World Games close - 奧運,世大運,亞運討論

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_408357.html

原文取自 STRAITS TIMES

World Games close

KAOHSIUNG (Taiwan) - THE World Games came to an end in Taiwan's second city
on Sunday, with China skipping the closing ceremony.

The Chinese, who also boycotted the opening ceremony, sent 68 athletes to
Kaohsiung and won 14 gold medals. But the celebrations were a step too far
for Beijing, despite a recent thaw in relations.

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou, of the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party,
hailed China's low-key presence in the 11-day sporting extravaganza.

'We thank the Chinese mainland authorities for displaying goodwill to us,' he
told reporters.

As it closed, around 2,000 athletes and volunteers swarmed into the stadium
to thundering cheers from a capacity crowd of more than 40,000. Almost 6,000
athletes from 103 countries and areas competed in 31 sports not included in
the Olympics.

The defending champion Russia grabbed 18 golds, followed by Italy with 17
golds. China was third, the United States fourth with 13 golds, and the host
came seventh with eight gold medals.

Analysts said China's presence at the event would not have been possible
without the fast warming ties across the Taiwan Strait since Ma came to power
last year, pledging to forge closer economic and cultural ties.

'Although Beijing may have made concessions on some fronts, it won't budge a
single inch while facing sovereignty issues,' Chang Hsien-Chao, political
science professor at National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, told AFP.

Beijing still regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification
by force if necessary although the island has governed itself since 1949. --
AFP


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