On Monday morning, President Lai Ching-te received three junior baseball teams at the Presidential Office. The young athletes were from two public schools in Taoyuan, as well as the national junior baseball team. The president, who is a self-proclaimed baseball fan, took the occasion to commend the young baseball champions, and promised to do more for sports during his administration.

A young baseball player smiles before shaking hands with President Lai Ching-te, who wore the Taiwanese Olympic team’s uniform jacket for the occasion. The three players on stage represented three different teams that have all recently won international baseball games.

Lai Ching-te
President
To receive three teams that played for the country, whether as president or baseball fan, is an immense honor and very exciting.

The baseball team of Hsin Ming Junior High School in Taoyuan was the champion at the LLB Junior League Baseball this year; while Guishan Elementary School’s baseball team, also from Taoyuan, had won silver at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The third player, representing the national team, had won bronze at the U-15 Baseball World Cup. Their success was commended by the president, who is a massive baseball fan himself.

Lai Ching-te
President
Each and every one of you young baseball players is Taiwan’s hero on the baseball field. The country shines because of you. I am a fan of the Uni-Lions. In fact I had bought a ticket to watch the first game of the CPBL.

Lai revealed that as a long-time baseball fan, he attended Taiwan’s very first professional baseball game back in 1990. In the past as the mayor of Tainan, and later as premier, he had always supported baseball. He said as president he’ll do the same.

Lai Ching-te
President
Now that I’m president, I’ll support baseball as president. We’re establishing a new ministry for sports and sports development, not only to promote sports among all citizens, but to develop the sports industry.

In addition to honoring the national champions, President Lai took the occasion to spotlight a new sports ministry in the works, which will aim to promote sports throughout the country.

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