TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Sports Administration (體育署), Taiwan's government body overseeing athletic affairs, issued a statement Wednesday (June 4) emphasizing that sporting competitions and cultural exchange activities should operate independently from political agendas. The response came after Taiwan's premier table tennis athlete Lin Yun-Ju (林昀儒) ignited controversy across social media platforms a day earlier when photographs emerged showing him donning a red scarf during his visit with students at an experimental elementary school.
Event coordinators scheduled Lin's school appearance in advance of his upcoming competition in the 2025 China Table Tennis Super League, a prominent mainland Chinese sports tournament. In its official response, the Sports Administration, which operates under Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部), called for all cross-strait exchanges to maintain principles of "equality, dignity, and mutual respect" — diplomatic language frequently employed in Taiwan's official communications regarding China. Officials reaffirmed their backing for Lin's international career while emphasizing the critical importance of preserving Taiwan's distinct status during such engagements. The government body reiterated its commitment to encouraging constructive dialogue and exchanges across the politically sensitive Taiwan Strait.
The 23-year-old table tennis star recently completed his campaign at the World Table Tennis Championships and has confirmed he will represent Shandong Weiqiao (山東魏橋), a professional club based in eastern China, for the upcoming season. Lin will compete alongside Chinese national team members Wang Chu-qin (王楚欽) and Liang Jing-kun (梁靖崑) in the mainland league. His public appearance wearing what many Taiwanese social media users identified as a "red scarf" - an accessory sometimes associated with Chinese political symbolism - has transformed a routine school visit into a polarizing subject across Taiwan's digital landscape. ◼