The right of Taichung to organize 2019 East Asian Youth Games was canceled by East Asian Olympic Committee (EAOC) without mutual agreements. However, Taichung City Government has received 12 sculpture artworks, sponsored by 4 sculptors under the supports of 10 companies and associations, during the event organizing period so we have them exhibited at the City Government square on Taiwan Boulevard. We’d like to let everyone see the efforts of sculptors and the sponsors, including the companies and associations. Mayor Chia-lung Lin and Minister without Portfolio, Executive Yuan, Ji-san Chang have announced together, Taichung will conduct the first「Asia-Pacific Youth Games」next year and the time won’t overlap with the period of the East Asian Youth Games, to build Taiwan as a special sport brand and bring the young athletes a new stage of international competition.

The opening ceremony of East Asian Youth Games Sculpture Square today was conducted at the Square of Taichung City Municipal Building on Taiwan Boulevard, 12 sculpture artworks created for different sports will be exhibited for one year from now on to show the power and beauty of athletes on sports arena. Mayor Lin announced during the ceremony, the legal action to sue for the cancellation of the organizing right for East Asian Youth Games will be initiated and the City Government will collaborate with the central government to conduct the「Asia-Pacific Youth Games」to create the young athletes another international competition platform.

Minister without Portfolio, Executive Yuan, Ji-san Chang was present to endorse the City Government and show the positioning of support from the central government. Councilor Su-Chen Chiu, 4 artists and the representatives from the 10 sponsors for the sculpture artworks were all there to support the event.

Mayor Lin addressed the City Government won’t let the young athletes down, by way of the opening of East Asian Youth Games sculpture square, the City Government has decided to let more people know the creations of the artists and charity sponsorship from the enterprises even though we’re facing the sudden change of East Asian Youth Games. On the other hand, the City Government will continue to conduct some mega international games so there will be the first 「Asia-Pacific Youth Games」held in Taichung after a series of discussions and meetings with the central government and experts. Executive Yuan will call a cross department task force meeting this week to decide the concrete structure of the event and the related preparations. There would be even more countries, cities and athletes participating in the event comparing with the East Asian Youth Games.

「Get up from the frustrations！」Minister without Portfolio, Executive Yuan, Ji-san Chang mentioned, Taiwan is a small country compared with the others but we won 17 Golden awards of excellent performance in Asian Games. The achievements have reflected the the capabilities of Taiwanese athletes. Though the East Asian Youth Games organizing right of Taichung was taken away, we will get up from where we fell down. The objective of Mayor Lin is to build Taichung as a sport city and he will not give up to conduct the international games in Taichung. Mayor Lin will insist on this and is worth of appreciations.

Minister without Portfolio Chang said, Executive Yuan will fully support Taichung to conduct Asia-Pacific Youth Games next year to invite the young athletes to advocate for the event. The goal of the event is to make it better than East Asian Youth Games and build up the international sports business in addition to a unique Taiwan brand. We will make Taichung to become the holy place of athletes dreaming to leave for and please support Taichung to make it come true.

Mayor Lin was queried by some journalists about the theme of Asia-Pacific Youth Games and how it will go, invitational competitions or exhibition games? After the cancellation of organizing East Asian Youth Games due to the political interference of China, shall we worry if there would be no one to participate in Asia-Pacific Youth Games?

Mayor Lin pointed, sports games should be fair competition and all the athletes should rely on their own capabilities on the playground. Asia-Pacific Youth Games will welcome everyone from Asia Pacific region to participate in and the City Government will invite all of them to come. We commit to a stage to the athletes who would participate in East Asian Youth Games to show their capabilities and the detailed plan will be announced later after the meeting and discussion with Executive Yuan.

Mayor Lin said, sports have no boundary limit so it should not be interfered by politics. Taiwan can own our own branding on sports without fear of the political attacks because such attacks will not impact us at all since we’re just following the Olympic spirit.

As to the classification difference between East Asian Youth Games and Asia-Pacific Youth Games queried by the journalists, Mayor Lin explained, East Asian Youth Games belongs to the system of the Olympics organization with more countries involved in whereas the Asia-Pacific Youth Games is positioned to be an event of Asia Pacific region. Therefore, even more athletes and sport teams will participate in the event from Asian countries and Pacific regions. We also believe all the sport lovers of the world will support this event. Meanwhile, we have the commitment and support from the central government so we are confident to organize this international competition well.

The officer of Sports Bureau pointed out, the design of East Asian Youth Games Sculpture Square is based on the competition items of 2019 East Asian Youth Games, including the ballgames, fighting, fencing and martial arts, cycling competition etc. and sponsored by Great Taichung Real Estate Development Association, Greater Taichung Architects Association, Taichung Real Estate Development Association, Dyaco INC., Giant international, SHIN CHUNG Natural Gas Co., Ltd, Shin Chang Natural Gas Co., Ltd, Shin Lin Natural Gas Co., Ltd, Feng Hsin Steel and Pou Chen international group etc. With the strong support of these 10 excellent companies and associations, 4 sculptors, including Yin-hsin Liao, Yeh Chang, Don-liang Hsieh and Ruei-fang Huang, have designed based on the idea of East Asian Youth Games and completed 12 sculpture artworks together.

Among these sculpture artworks, there are cute polar bears in a life vests standing on the floating ices to reflect the issue of global warming, the sculpture artworks with the postures of Taekwondo, Judo and martial arts to show the concept of healthy power and environmental protection. Besides, some other sculpture artworks emphasize the body shape and power to show the both hard and soft fusion with the Yin-Yang harmonies in the name of「Kungfu series」. The artists have expressed their different design ideas through the creative combination of arts and sports.