Taiwan Launches Dedicated Ministry of Sports,Lee Yang Appointed Minister
TAIPEI,TAIWAN – September 10,2025 - Taiwan inaugurated its first Ministry of Sports today,marking a meaningful step in the nation’s commitment to athletic development and the sports industry. Olympic gold medalist Lee Yang has been appointed as the inaugural minister, becoming the nation’s youngest minister and the first with an Olympic gold medal.
The newly established ministry will oversee the Sports for All Agency, the National sports Training Center, the Taiwan Institute of Sports Science, and the Taiwan Sports Industry Development Center. The Executive Yuan has allocated a budget of NT$24.8 billion for the ministry’s operations in the coming year.
President Lai and Premier Cho Jung-tai attended the ministry’s launching ceremony. Cho highlighted Lee’s extensive involvement in the planning process, noting he attended all five consultation meetings held by the cabinet prior to the ministry’s establishment and provided valuable input. “Lee is not only an Olympic gold medalist… He is the most qualified to be the minister of sports,” Cho stated. He added, “I told him that things are always tough at the beginning, but nothing is more tough than winning an Olympic gold medal, and he did it twice.”
Minister Lee, acknowledging the challenges he faced as an athlete, vowed to boost the development of competitive sports and facilitate the growth of the domestic sports industry. he aims to attract more international sporting events to Taiwan and prioritize long-term development plans for student athletes at all levels, upholding values of sustainability and diversity.”As an athlete, I craved challenges and enjoyed winning games with my team. With that spirit, I hope to achieve new milestones for sports in Taiwan,” Lee said.The ministry’s logo was inspired by a gesture made by baseball player Chen Chieh-hsien during the world Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 championship against Japan last year, where he signaled his team’s taiwanese identity.
Premier Cho also expressed hope the ministry would expedite reform of athletic classes in schools, ensure the healthy development of sports associations, and enforce a new national sports policy focused on “sports for all.” Funding for athletes, particularly those categorized as Category VI (18 years or younger), will continue to be evaluated every six months based on their performance in international tournaments. President Lai affirmed his full support for Minister Lee and the ministry’s endeavors.
