Greater China's Olympic Medal Haul: Beyond Sports Excellence [Hardcover]

Chu explores the significance of the Summer Olympic medal haul for relations between Beijing and Taipei, and between Beijing and Hong Kong. Chu asks what significance these victories had for each of the three governments as well as for the relations of Taipei and Hong Kong with Beijing.

Between 1984 and 2021, elite athletes from the member regions of Greater China  China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong  competed at each of the ten Summer Olympics. By winning 263 gold medals, 199 silver, and 173 bronze, China became a global sports superpower. Taiwan and Hong Kong pocketed 7 gold medals, 10 silver, and 17 bronze and 2 gold medals, 3 silver, and 4 bronze, respectively, displaying their world-leading statuses in archery, badminton, baseball, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, Judo, karate, sailing, Taekwondo, table tennis, and weightlifting. In response, the leaders of the three regions delivered high-profile praise. Their administrations awarded cash, badges, and/or honorary titles to the medalists.

By reviewing journalistic reports, key-players memoirs, official documents, and scholarly works, this book aims to understand the significance of the Olympic medal haul to the Chinese, Taiwanese, and Hong Kong authorities. Its findings detail the context in which the Olympic medal haul was leveraged for the political change of the three regions and their relations with each other. They also reveal that the praise and rewards bestowed by the respective authorities on the medalists not only celebrated their jurisdictions sporting excellence, but served broader strategic goals across domestic politics and international relations.

1.Introduction 2. Chinas Olympic Medal Haul: Los Angeles 1984  Sydney 2000 3.Chinas Olympic Medal Haul: Athens 2004  Tokyo 2020 4.Chinese Taipeis Olympic Medal Haul: Los Angeles 1984  Atlanta 1996 5. Chinese Taipeis Olympic Medal Haul: Sydney 2000  Tokyo 2020 6.Hong Kong and Hong Kong, Chinas Olympls&