Daily Times

TAIPEI: Chinese players on the elite USA professional women’s golf tour have pulled out of this week’s tournament in Taiwan at the 11th hour, after being told by someone “high up” in China to skip the event, sources familiar with the situation told media. They said world number nine Shanshan Feng and rookie Yu Liu were told during last weekend’s event in Shanghai that they should not play in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship, which starts in Taipei on Thursday. China, which views self-ruled Taiwan as a wayward province, has ramped up pressure to assert its sovereignty. Ties have deteriorated since 2016, when President Tsai Ing-wen of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party came to power. The United States sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Monday in its second such operation this year, as its military steps up the frequency of transits through the busy strategic waterway, despite opposition from China. Sometimes the ill-feeling between China and Taiwan engulfs sporting events. In July, for example, 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. It is unclear who told Feng and Yu, the only two Chinese golfers confirmed for the event in Taiwan, not to attend, but, barring injury, it is highly unusual for players to withdraw at such a late stage. One source at the tournament said officials there had no plans to fine the players for withdrawing so late in the day, “given the circumstances”.

Published in Daily Times, October 24^th 2018.