TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's southern port city of Kaohsiung is experiencing a troubling exodus of athletic talent, with nearly half of its promising young athletes relocating to northern Taiwan for better opportunities. Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) acknowledged the concerning trend Friday (May 9), expressing disappointment while committing to a comprehensive review of the city's sports development infrastructure. The mayor has directed both the municipal Sports Development Bureau (運動發展局) and Education Bureau (教育局) to formulate improved athlete training programs and support systems.
The root causes of the talent drain were laid bare by City Councilor Huang Wen-chih (黃文志), who pointed to systemic deficiencies in Kaohsiung's sports infrastructure and training programs. Huang cited the city's persistently mediocre performance at the prestigious "National High School Games" (全國中等學校運動會), where Kaohsiung typically finishes fifth, never breaking into the top three positions. This underperformance, he argued, reflects antiquated training facilities and resource limitations. The councilor highlighted a particularly glaring discontinuity in baseball education — a sport of significant cultural importance in Taiwan — where the city provides seven specialized programs at the junior high level but only a single program at the high school level.
Mayor Chen has committed to a comprehensive reevaluation of the city's sports development strategy, including funding mechanisms, specialized sports education offerings, and overall resource distribution. Councilor Huang further criticized the current approach as shortsighted, noting that despite substantial financial investment, Kaohsiung's sports programs suffer from inadequate long-term strategic planning. He pointed to an overreliance on central government subsidies rather than sustainable local funding sources, creating financial instability that undermines consistent athlete development and support systems.
In defense of the city's efforts, Education Bureau Director Wu Li-sen (吳立森) detailed substantial financial commitments, citing investments exceeding NT$700 million (approximately US$23.3 million) over the past three years for upgrading training facilities and equipment. Wu noted an additional allocation of more than NT$100 million (about US$3.3 million) specifically targeting grassroots athlete development, including training centers, nutritional support, and competition expenses. The official also described an ongoing consolidation strategy that has reduced sports programs from 49 to 37 in junior high schools and from 44 to 22 in elementary schools, aiming to concentrate resources on sports where Kaohsiung athletes show particular promise. ★
