Taipei Mayor Ko signs on two major domestic airlines as Taipei Universiade sponsors

Описание: Taiwan’s two major carriers, China Airlines and EVA Air, have both signed on as sponsors of next year’s Taipei Universiade games, and will chip in a total of NT$300 million in discounts on tickets and luggage fees. Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, who’s in charge of managing the games, has touched off a round of public debate after he floated plans to expand the torch relay for the games to China. Taiwan’s big two airline carriers, China Airlines and EVA Air, have announced they’ll be sponsoring the upcoming Taipei Universiade by giving 20 to 40-percent discounts on tickets to competing athletes and their team staff members. The carriers’ ticket discounts, along with special cut-price luggage fees, add up to a net contribution of around NT$300 million.The total fundraising goal for next year’s Universiade is NT$890 million, with the city and organizing authorities still scrounging around for more than NT$300 million in additional funds. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je earlier came out with plans to look to China for sponsorship money, a move which ran into public opposition. Ko then announced that he would seek to expand the Universiade Torch Relay to China, a proposal which brought into play similar touchy issues surrounding cross-strait relations.Ko Wen-jeTaipei MayorAs far as I’m concerned, we want to put on a good Universiade. Expanding the relay to Chinese cities is consistent with that logic, which is to say, it would help further increase tourism to Taiwan.The relay route for the Universiade torch hasn’t yet been confirmed, but Ko Wen-je emphasized that he and his city officials would be ready to efficiently manage any cross-strait communication over the proposal with China.