00:00In just a few days, Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan will host this year's Asia Pride Games,
00:06an athletic competition that features LGBTQ plus athletes.
00:10But lately, it's been at the center of some controversy.
00:14This year, the Games saw over 800 applicants from China.
00:19Organizers say that's much higher than for past events, but none of them will be able to compete.
00:25That's after organizers and the Kaohsiung city government identified issues with some of the applications,
00:31including some that appeared to be from people with Chinese military backgrounds.
01:00There's been speculation that some of the Chinese applicants were using the competition as a way to come to Taiwan
01:07for tourism,
01:08as it's otherwise not possible for most Chinese people to visit Taiwan.
01:13Discussions about this have also appeared on Chinese social media.
01:16Some also worry that letting them in could pose a threat to national security,
01:21especially at a time when cross-strait tensions are high,
01:25and as Beijing ultimately seeks to take control of Taiwan.
01:29He's not a選手. He's not here to play, but he's to do some of the political work.
01:34Who can't take this responsibility?
01:36Even though organizers say around 600 of the applicants were initially approved to come to Taiwan,
01:43they weren't able to get visas.
01:44They say the city government refused to serve as the applicant's guarantor
01:49and did not send the applications to the immigration agency for review,
01:53although officials have not confirmed this.
01:56Organizers say they believe part of the reason so many people applied this year
02:01may be that China isn't very accepting of queer communities,
02:05and some wanted to be in a safer space.
02:07But they also acknowledge that some could have had alternative reasons.
02:11As tensions across the strait remain high,
02:14the Games have underscored the challenges Taiwan faces in balancing openness with security,
02:20concerns that extend far beyond sports.
02:23Joseph Wu and Cainz-Koranta for Taiwan Plus.
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