2026-5-26

On April 9, the Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee and the Oceania Paralympic Committee signed a memorandum of understanding on sports inclusion and mapping a pathway to the Brisbane 2032 Paralympics. The ceremony took place in the third-floor auditorium of the Ministry of Sports. The MOU is the first long-term international partnership on para sports to be launched by Taiwan. The arrangement will create a regional platform for cooperation, promote connections between Taiwan and the Oceania region, and raise Taiwan’s profile in international sports.

Following their meeting last November, Taiwan’s foreign and sports ministers reached a consensus on jointly expanding the sports diplomacy network, increasing Taiwan’s contributions to global sports, and enhancing the country’s international reputation. The signing of the MOU between the two committees at the MOS was a concrete result of sports diplomacy.

The agreement was signed by CTPC President Mu Ming-chu and OPC President Paul Bird. Guests at the ceremony included Kang Chia-chi, deputy director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of NGO International Affairs; Chen Shyh-kwei, vice president of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee; and Ye Cheng-yan, president of the ROC Sports Federation. Members of the diplomatic corps from Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu as well as representatives from other national Olympic committees and Griffith University in Australia also witnessed the signing. 

The two sides pledged to deepen cooperation and share their success stories in taking part in international events, competitions, and training programs. In a further example of sports diplomacy, the committees agreed to work toward assisting Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu in promoting para sports.

The MOU demonstrated Taiwan’s determination to strengthen its meaningful participation in international para sports and promote equality and inclusion in sporting events. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to make connections with other countries using sports as a bridge to raise the country’s global profile and show that Taiwan can help.