Taiwan expresses concern over national flag ban at World Choir Games

Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday expressed concern to Interkultur, the organizer of the 14th World Choir Games held in Sweden, after it allegedly barred spectators from displaying the Republic of China (Taiwan) flag last week.

Eric Huang (黃鈞耀), director-general of MOFA's Department of European Affairs, said his department had asked Taiwan's representative offices in Sweden and Germany, where Interkultur is located, to look into the matter and convey the country's position to the organizer.

"We urge them to uphold the event's inclusiveness and respect the rights of free expression and media freedom," Huang said.

Huang made the appeal when asked to comment on the government's response after an incident occurred on Saturday outside Helsingborg Concert Hall, where the World Choir Games were held.

A Swedish supporter, Jorgen Grugaard, was stopped by event staff after he unfurled an ROC flag while speaking with a CNA reporter based in Sweden.

"The flag incident, it is appalling because I...saw her badge was from China, she's from China," Grugaard said.

The staff also warned the CNA reporter that the reporter's press accreditation would be revoked if the flag appeared in news coverage.

They said the event follows the "Olympic Model," under which Taiwanese teams compete as "Chinese Taipei" and the ROC flag is not permitted at competition venues.

Interkultur declined to give an interview on the flag issue but provided a written statement to CNA, saying it has applied the same regulations since 2000.

The organization said its events are based on the "Olympic idea" and follow the International Olympic Committee's practice of using the name "Chinese Taipei" for Taiwan's participation, citing the 1979 Nagoya Resolution.

Interkultur said the convention was also based on an agreement involving the People's Republic of China and Chinese Taipei reached in Linz, Austria, in 2000.

Huang said during the MOFA weekly briefing that the international choral competition, which ended Sunday, was not the Olympic Games and therefore should not be subject to the so-called "Olympic Model."

"We will continue to engage with relevant authorities to insist on the right of our government and civic groups to participate in international activities on an equal footing," he said.