Chinese golfers ‘told’ to skip Taiwan tournament

Two Chinese golf stars have reportedly been ordered to pull out of a prestigious tournament in Taiwan this week amid political tensions between Beijing and Taipei. 

According to Reuters, world number nine Shanshan Feng and rookie Yu Liu were told at the last minute by someone “high up” in the Chinese hierarchy that they should skip the Swinging Skirts LGPA Taiwan Championship, which starts in Taipei on Thursday. 

China claims Taiwan – a democratic island of 23 million with its own government, currency and military – as its own territory, and ties have deteriorated since 2016, when President Tsai Ing-wen, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party came to power. 

On Tuesday, Beijing expressed deep concern to the US after Washington sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait, in the second such operation this year.  The US called the passage through the strategic waterway “routine”, to demonstrate America’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

But China will also have been irked by a pro-independence demonstration in Taipei at the weekend, which drew thousands of supporters to the streets, some carrying placards that denounced Chinese attempts at “annexation.”

It is unclear who told Ms Feng and Ms Yu, who until Monday had been confirmed for the event as the only two Chinese golfers, that they should no longer attend. It is highly unusual for players to withdraw at such a late stage unless they have been injured. 

However, the ill-feeling between China and Taiwan in recent years has impacted sports and cultural events and tourism, with Beijing reducing the steady flow of Chinese tourists in an effort to squeeze the island’s economy. 

In July, China blamed "independence activists" for the cancellation of an Olympic event in Taiwan, shrugging off Taipei’s accusation that Beijing’s "political bullying" was behind the revocation of its right to host a youth game.

Officially no reason has been given for the golfers’ 11th hour withdrawal from the Taiwan tournament.  An LGPA media officer told Reuters he was aware the two players had pulled out, but did not elaborate on the reason.

Ruby Chen, the Shanghai-based agent for both athletes, also declined to comment on why they were withdrawing, while denying that any pressure had been put on them to do so.

The General Administration of Sport of China told the newswire it had no idea about the incident and referred queries to the golf association, which did not answer several telephone calls. 

However, Ross Feingold, a Taiwan-based lawyer and political analyst, told The Telegraph that the late withdrawal reflected a growing “pattern” of the Chinese authorities discouraging private actors from travelling to Taiwan. 

“It’s fairly clear that the pattern of freezing ties between China and Taiwan has now extended from simply PRC government agencies not engaging with Taiwan to tourism and other types of cultural or educational interaction,” he said. 

“I wouldn’t necessarily link this decision to specific events. I think it’s more just a victim of the overall atmosphere between Taiwan and China."

This week will be the second time that Ms Feng, a Rio Olympic bronze medallist, has missed an event on the LPGA Tour reportedly due to outside pressure.

In March 2017, she was told it was "in her best interests" not to take part in an event sponsored by South Korean conglomerate Lotte as a diplomatic row between Beijing and Seoul over the THAAD missile defence system spilled into the sports world, and also led to a reduction in Chinese tourists. 

Ms Feng, who joined the lucrative U.S. tour in 2008, played in the Swinging Skirts event last year when it was staged in Taiwan for the first time as part of the LPGA calendar.

She also played in the Fubon Taiwan Championship from 2014 to 2016 after skipping Taiwan-based tournaments from 2011 to 2013.

While headquartered in the United States, the LPGA describes itself as a "global tour". This year 11 of its 33 tournaments are being staged outside North America. If features players from some 30 countries and territories.