BASEBALL: 'Team Taiwan!': fans make a statement ahead of WBC opener

TOKYO – Thousands of Taiwanese fans flocked to the Tokyo Dome on Thursday for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) opener, waving banners that read “Team Taiwan!” instead of their official tournament designation, Chinese Taipei.

Taiwan has long competed internationally as “Chinese Taipei” to avoid objections from China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. Taiwan’s government continues to reject these sovereignty claims.

Outside the Tokyo Dome, self-described “fan activists” dressed in red, white, and blue led chants of “Go Taiwan!” in Mandarin and “Team Taiwan!” in English.

“Of course we hope to compete under the name Taiwan, so that in the future there will no longer be a ‘Chinese Taipei’—it will just be Taiwan,” said Lin Tzu-hui, who was covered head to toe in stickers of the Taiwan flag.

This is not the first time fans have rejected the Chinese Taipei designation. Similar incidents occurred at the 2024 Olympics, including one where a spectator holding a “Taiwan go for it!” sign at the badminton competition in Paris had it torn by another fan. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the act as “crude and despicable.”

Baseball has been popular in Taiwan since its introduction in the late 19th century under Japanese rule. Taiwan has competed in all six editions of the WBC and won the 2024 WBSC Premier12, beating Japan in the final.

“Since the pandemic, everyone has been using the name ‘Taiwan’ to bring people together,” said 48-year-old Wu Ji-Rung. “Especially after the 2024 Premier12 games, I feel they had a huge impact on all of Taiwan. That’s why everyone is so excited and passionate, using the name ‘Taiwan’ to refer to our team. We are proud of Taiwan and proud to call ourselves Taiwanese.”

Despite the fans’ enthusiasm, Australia claimed a 3-0 victory over Taiwan in front of a crowd of 40,523.

Taiwan still has three more games in Pool C, including a matchup with Japan on Friday, as they aim for a spot in the quarter-finals in the United States.

“If we win three games, we can go,” said civil engineer Pan You-wen. “It doesn’t matter which three we win, but as long as we get three wins, we can quickly get to Miami.”

-Reporting by Joseph Campbell; Writing by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Kevin Buckland/Reuters