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President Tsai Ing-wen attended a dinner banquet for the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA on the evening of October 28. With the government and the sports and business communities joining forces in support of international tournaments and the Golf Association of the Republic of China's six-year plan, Taiwan will continue to shine in the international golf scene, she said.
A translation of the president's remarks follows:
I would like to welcome the top golfers from around the world to Taiwan for the 2019 Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA.
Among those with us tonight, we have golfers ranked in the top 10 in the world, as well as the winners of LPGA's five major championships this year. We also have Taiwan's top golfers. I am looking forward to an exciting competition, and to each and every competitor, I just want to say: I wish you the best and hope you will be at the top of your game!
I also want to extend a warm welcome to the nearly 200 journalists who are here from around the world to cover the event. From Japan alone, more than 10 news organizations have reporters here. In addition to your reporting duties, I do hope you will take the opportunity to take in Taiwan's scenic beauty, our delicious cuisine, and the friendly warmth of our people.
The Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, which is being held this year for the ninth time, is the highest-level international golf event ever hosted in Taiwan, offering the largest prize money and the toughest competition. I once tried my hand at putting on one of the greens here, and I must say it is a real pleasure to watch from up close as the best golfers in the world compete with each other.
I want to express my appreciation to Swinging Skirts Golf Foundation Chairman Johnson Wang (王政松) and the Foundation's partners for all their hard work. Your efforts have brought the sport of golf in Taiwan more closely in line with international standards. And thanks to your efforts, "Taiwan" appears in the event's name this year. I believe that the worldwide broadcast of this championship to 170 different countries offers us an excellent opportunity to market Taiwan to overseas audiences.
Many parties have pitched in to ensure the success of Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA. In addition to the enthusiastic assistance of corporate sponsors, our Executive Yuan has integrated the capabilities of several government agencies to provide financial and administrative support. With the government and the sports and business communities joining forces in support of international tournaments and the Golf Association of the Republic of China's six-year plan, Taiwan will continue to shine in the international golf scene.
