On August 3, Premier Sean Chen expressed his affirmation and appreciation for the efforts and achievements of ROC athletes and coaches at the London Olympics, which began July 27, saying their accomplishments in the first week of the competition were remarkable.
In addition to weightlifter Hsu Shu-ching's silver medal-winning performance in the women's 53-kilogram weight class, Chuang Chih-yuan placed fourth in the men's table tennis singles competition, the best performance ever by a player born and raised in Taiwan; in badminton, women's doubles players Chien Yu-chin and Cheng Wen-hsing, men's doubles players Lee Sheng-mu and Fang Chieh-min, and women's singles player Cheng Shao-chieh each made the quarterfinals of their respective competitions; and tennis players Hsieh Su-wei and Chuang Chia-jung made it to the round of eight in women's doubles.
The premier said these performances underlined Taiwan's athletic competitiveness, which has been enhanced by the combined efforts of the public and private sectors. He also expressed belief that Taiwan can perform on an even higher level in the future.
In the coming days, Taiwanese athletes will compete in events such as athletics (track and field), shooting, cycling, weightlifting and taekwondo. The premier asked the public to cheer on these athletes and added he expected them to do their best and bring more glory to the country.