00:00In recent years, sports moments like these have become more common in Taiwan.
00:08Winning, winning, and more winning.
00:11Whether it's grabbing gold medals at world events,
00:14or winning its first elite-level baseball championship tournament,
00:18Taiwan's sports fans have lots to celebrate.
00:21And now, they have even more reason to rejoice,
00:24as the country launches a new sports ministry.
00:30This is the 9th day of the National Football Day.
00:33It's also the day of the country's happy.
00:36Because today, the sports ministry is officially set up.
00:43The sports ministry is officially set up.
00:47The government upgraded the National Sports Administration,
00:51previously under the Education Ministry,
00:53into its own cabinet-level entity.
00:56Establishing the sports ministry was a campaign promise
00:59that President Lai Ching-de made when he ran for president in 2023.
01:04The ministry is a celebration of all things sports.
01:08Its logo is inspired by a celebration gesture
01:11that Taiwan's national baseball team captain Chen Jie-xin made
01:15after he hit a pivotal home run in the Premier 12 tournament
01:19to beat Japan in the finals.
01:21It was an iconic moment,
01:24one that memorialized Taiwan's first-ever win
01:27at an elite-level international baseball tournament.
01:30But the logo also holds another meaning,
01:33as its two parts form two Ts, short for Team Taiwan.
01:39At the helm is two-time Olympic gold medalist Li Yang.
01:42At just 30 years old,
01:45he is the youngest minister in Taiwan's history.
01:49I am a athlete.
01:49I have experienced many challenges and growth in the soccer field.
01:54Therefore, I can especially feel the heart of the athlete's athletes
01:58and know the challenges of the development of Taiwan's activities.
02:01One of the ministry's main goals
02:05is to help make Taiwan's athletes more competitive.
02:08Many have high hopes for its future.
02:10Of course, we hope that he can make our athletes better than our athletes,
02:14and make our athletes better than our athletes better than our athletes.
02:19Of course, we hope that we have a more complete plan and help.
02:25And we hope that they can bring the athletes to the higher and higher.
02:29I think the biggest problem is the place.
02:33And those hopes go beyond the country's borders.
02:45Taiwanese athletes training abroad also look to the ministry as a force to step up their game.
02:50I hope the sport ministry can help me as a fencer and help me make it to the Olympics.
02:56But the ministry is tasked with not just developing Taiwan's professional athletes.
03:01It will also encourage everyone in Taiwan to take up more exercise,
03:06something Minister Li says he'll prioritize.
03:09So whether you're young or old, competing as an athlete or para-athlete,
03:14or putting on running shoes for the first time,
03:16this ministry is here to help the country stay active.
03:20Justin Wu and Leslie Liao for Taiwan Plus.
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