President Ma Ying-jeou, accompanied by Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling (戴遐齡), Minister of Education Chiang Wei-ling (蔣偉寧), Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), and Chinese Taipei University Sports Foundation (TUSF) Chairman Chen Kun-ning (陳坤檸), attended a press conference held on the afternoon of March 25 after an agreement was inked that formally awarded Taipei City the right to hold the 2017 Universiade. Besides witnessing the ceremony, the president called on the local organizing body to make the 2017 event the most successful Universiade ever held.
In his remarks, the president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, welcomed International University Sports Federation (FISU) President Claude-Louis Gallien to Taiwan. He expressed his deepest appreciation to Mr. Gallien for his confidence in Taipei's ability to successfully hold the Universiade.
President Ma stated that Taiwan's successful bid to hold the 2017 Universiade has created enormous excitement among the public. Mayor Hau led a team from the city government, the Sports Affairs Council, and the TUSF in a two-year effort that ultimately enabled Taipei to win the right to hold the Universiade, which is the second largest sporting event in the world behind only the Olympics. This marks a new chapter in the nation's sports diplomacy.
President Ma stated that the ROC has consistently placed heavy emphasis on the development of athletics, but international political realities have made it difficult for Taiwan to host as many sporting events as it would like to. The president remarked that since taking office in May 2008 he has sought to improve relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and the international community is now looking at Taiwan in a different light. In addition, athletes from Taiwan have distinguished themselves at various competitions, helping to win distinction for the nation and generating admiration for Taiwan in the international sports community. This has resulted in some very positive international media reporting on the achievements of Taiwan's athletes. The president also pointed out that Kaohsiung City in 2009 held the World Games and Taipei City in the same year staged the Deaflympics, both of which were huge successes. The International World Games Association and the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf both praised these events, saying that they were the best and most successful ever.
President Ma told those on hand that he personally is a sports enthusiast, commenting that when he was Taipei City mayor he oversaw the construction or renovation of 80 swimming pools and the opening of 130 school campuses to the public to make it more convenient for people to exercise. Presently, 12 sports centers have been completed around the city, with six of the facilities completed while he was mayor, and the other six finished under current Mayor Hau. The public makes some 1.2 million visits monthly to these facilities. These achievements, he added, made a deep impression on members of the FISU and were ultimately one of the reasons that Taipei was selected.
Lastly, President Ma stressed that the central government will work closely with the Taipei City Government in organizing the Universiade. Vice Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) has already established a task force for the event, as the Universiade is not only an activity for Taipei City, but will also be a major event for all of Taiwan. The president asked Mr. Gallien to rest at ease, as the government will be sure to make the 2017 Taipei Universiade the most successful one ever.