Hereafter, the IOC approved the planned route for the Beijing Olympic torch relay.

All of a sudden, Mr. Tsai wrote a letter to BOCOG on April 20, saying "The current evolution of many issues is out of our sports community's control. Taiwan's status as an independent sovereign state would be degraded if the Olympic flame travels to Hong Kong via Taipei, so my authorities request that the relay enter into Taipei and exit Taipei through third-party countries." This letter unilaterally breached the agreement reached by both side.

In the hope of satisfying Taiwan compatriots' wishes of participating in the Olympic torch relay, BOCOG wrote a letter to Mr. Tsai, which says "The launching of the torch relay route is imminent. The request by your authorities goes against the consensus reached by both sides as well as the route on which you have made a written confirmation, which we cannot understand."

Passing the Olympic flame in Taipei helps spread the Olympic spirit, and it is a great event beneficial to Taiwan compatriots and will create everlasting good. We still hope that the Chinese

Taipei Olympic Committee will focus on the interests of our Taiwan compatriots, resist political interference and make good the consensus the two parties have reached.

BOCOG believes that the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and its authorities have violated the Olympic Charter and the IOC's principle of separating sports from politics by rejecting the torch relay route. The Olympic flame is the symbol of Olympic spirit, and the Olympic torch relay is a grand celebration of mankind that represents peace and friendship.

Passing the Olympic flame in Taipei helps spread the Olympic spirit, and it is a great event beneficial to Taiwan compatriots and will create everlasting good. We still hope that the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and its authorities will focus on the interests of our Taiwan compatriots and the Olympic Movement, and make good the consensus the two parties have reached and the route that has been confirmed. Therefore, the good wishes of our Taiwan compatriots to participate in the Olympic torch relay will come true.

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