TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je pledged on Tuesday (Dec. 26) that if elected, he will actively lobby for the 2038 Asian Games and other international sports events, as well as the Olympics, to be held in Taiwan to increase the country's visibility on the global stage.
During his speech at the policy presentation event, Ko emphasized the correlation between sports and national power, and recognized several of Taiwan's top-notch athletic talents, including Chuang Chih-yuan, Kuo Hsing-chun, Wang Chien-ming, Lee Yang, and Wang Chi-lin.
Aside from nurturing athletes, Ko also advocated for guidance in career planning for top-performing sports players and managing specific examinations for sports personnel to aid them in gaining positions in public and private institutions.
Ko proposed the establishment of a "National Sports Development Fund" and revision of the Sports Industry Development Act to increase corporate contributions to sports and reward systems.
He is also set to boost the overall budget for the national training center, providing full salaries during the team's training and competition periods, as well as improving the support team and increasing the personnel's wages.
The promotion of physical fitness for health and nationwide fitness is also part of Ko's plan, as he pointed to the success of the Taipei Advanced Center for Aging and Health as a model to be replicated nationwide.
Ko plans to develop e-sports and align it with global standards while actively expanding the sports industry.
Amid the prevailing AI surge globally, Ko perceives a need for a holistic review of Taiwan's education, keeping politics out of it, and cautioned against the erroneous "108 curriculum" weakening children's international competitiveness.
Ko advocated for higher education reforms, systematically cultivating high-tech talents, and aims to transition from demographic dividends to talent dividends.
