Honnold climb a rare opportunity for Taiwan: Taipei 101 chairperson

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) The chairperson of the company that owns Taipei 101 has hit back at criticism raised before American rock climber Alex Honnold scaled the skyscraper, saying the climb was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Taiwan and that approving it was the right call.

"Taiwan dared to do it," Taipei Financial Center Corp. Chairperson Janet Chia (賈永婕) wrote on Facebook on Monday, calling the project a rare chance to showcase Taiwan's resolve and ability to deliver.

"Even if I got slammed with criticism, even if I had to resign in the end, I was going to give this everything I had," Chia wrote.

Honnold successfully ascended Taipei 101 on Sunday, completing the highest-ever urban free solo in just over an hour and 30 minutes. The climb was streamed live on Netflix.

Chia said Honnold first contacted her about the free solo climb without ropes or any safety equipment in late September 2024, less than a month into her tenure, and she immediately consulted with her management team about the project.

Looking back, Chia said she could have chosen to do nothing, played it safe and avoided mistakes, as a traditional, conservative chairperson would do, but she decided to take the risk despite the many harsh words she would have received if things had gone wrong.

In November 2024, she said the program's executive producer, James Smith, arrived in Taiwan to formally present the proposal to her management team, after which she gave him the nod.

Chia, who was appointed for her diverse professional background in fashion, marketing and business management, said she never once regretted her decision.

Chia later revealed that all five flagpoles outside Taipei 101 had been deliberately fitted with Republic of China (Taiwan) flags, which could be easily captured on camera for the world to see as Honnold began his ascent.

In a separate post on Monday, she thanked Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) and all others involved for their support in backing the event.

She said traffic controls and police assistance were fully in place from the very beginning, even after the climb was postponed on Saturday due to poor weather.

Chia said she called Chen on Saturday to request an additional day of aerial filming permission, which was granted, and that everyone involved supported the effort wholeheartedly, even though it was the weekend.

"This event didn't cost Taipei 101 a single cent, but we gave it 101 percent effort!" she wrote.