Sports star to be first Chinese in Taiwan military

[beijingwalker]

Sports star to be first Chinese in Taiwan military
Taiwan News, Newspaper
2011-12-16 11:11 AM

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

A top pool player who gave up his Taiwanese citizenship to represent Beijing is expected to become the first Chinese national to serve in the island’s military, officials said yesterday.

Wu Chia-ching, 22, a world champion in 2005, rocked Taiwanese sports when he announced in April he had become a Chinese citizen and would represent China in a pool tournament.

Despite his new identity, Taiwan’s authorities have insisted that he still has to complete his mandatory one-year military service or risk going to jail.

Wu has applied to return to Taiwan by mid-January in order to fulfil his military service, said an official at the National Immigration Agency.

The defence ministry said he would become the first Chinese citizen to undergo military service in Taiwan.

“He is a Chinese citizen now, so why should he serve in Taiwan’s military?” his father Wu Cheng-chung told the United Daily News. “On the other hand, he doesn’t want to become a fugitive.”

Wu was also approached by Singapore in 2008 and while the deal fell through, the local billiard association allegedly barred him from competing as punishment, which prompted him to turn to China.

Wu is also believed to be the first active Taiwanese athlete to renounce citizenship in order to play for China, fuelling concern of other young talent fleeing to the mainland.

China has been wooing the island’s top talents in other fields as well, such as basketball, baseball and golf, as a recent improvement in ties between the two sides has made it easier for athletes to move to the mainland.

The most alarming development for local fans is perhaps in baseball, where Taiwanese coaches have been credited with playing an important part in China’s rise in the sport.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

We are a weak colonized nation for not being able to protect our star athletes from being abducted by rebels and forced to serve in their military.

We should have the confidence to say, if you want to put him in jail, your police have to get past the PLA first.

 

[LetsGetRowdy]

We are a weak colonized nation for not being able to protect our star athletes from being abducted by rebels and forced to serve in their military.

We should have the confidence to say, if you want to put him in jail, your police have to get past the PLA first.

now is not the time to be getting too confrontational with taiwan. currently we have a good relationship going on with them so we should maintain the status quo as it is beneficial for us at the moment. also, this guy was not originally a prc citizen to begin with so its not a big deal. let him serve his duty, perhaps he will make a good spy.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

now is not the time to be getting too confrontational with taiwan. currently we have a good relationship going on with them so we should maintain the status quo as it is beneficial for us at the moment. also, this guy was not originally a prc citizen to begin with so its not a big deal. let him serve his duty, perhaps he will make a good spy.

If an Israeli-American was going to be put in prison because he was dodging Israel's draft, would the US allow Israeli police to drag him back to Israel?!

 

[Determined Tiger]

This dude was trying ways to undergo his military service in Taiwan, so there is nothing can guarantee his loyal to mainland!?

Absolutely a cunning trick!