TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The majority of Taiwanese prefer to use the name “Team Taiwan” to refer to the national team during international competitions.
The Taiwan Brain Trust held its year-end press conference on Monday to release poll results on Taiwan's baseball championship, domestic politics, and foreign relations, per Liberty Times. Following Taiwan's WBSC Premier12 championship win last month, 96.6% of the respondents felt proud of the victory and 89.1% agreed that the outstanding performance of Taiwan's team can unite the country.
When asked to choose their preference for the name of Taiwan's national team in international competitions, 71.5% believe it should compete as "Team Taiwan," 18.8% support "Chinese Taipei," and 9.7% have no opinion. Among those who selected "Team Taiwan," 91.1% identified with the DPP, 56.1% with the TPP, and 47.9% with the KMT.
Meanwhile, 79.6% agree with the government's efforts to rectify Taiwan's name in international competitions, while only 12.8% disapprove. Regarding Taiwan's sports development, 88.1% feel optimistic, while 5.6% do not.
Tseng Kuan-chiu (曾冠球), a professor from the Department of Civic Education and Leadership at National Taiwan Normal University, said the survey results demonstrate a strong connection between athletic achievements and national identity, which can foster collective identity and transform into a shared sense of pride. Amid ideological divisions in cross-strait relations, Tseng said sports possess a unique power to transcend political differences and become a key medium for Taiwanese society to build consensus and strengthen solidarity.
Tseng said the public's high recognition of and expectations for baseball also provide valuable reference points for the government in formulating relevant policies, which bolster confidence in the sports ministry that the Lai administration is developing.
The Taiwan Brain Trust survey, conducted Dec. 8-10, was based on valid samples from 1,081 adults aged 20 and above. The survey was conducted using landline telephone interviews, with numbers drawn from Chunghwa Telecom's directory with a margin of error of approximately ±2.98 percentage points and a confidence level of 95%.