Credit is due when people almost do the wrong thing or start to and then, in response to complaints, decide not to do it after all. That people always do the right thing is better, but we must take what we can get.
Something called a “Taiwan Indigenous dance [was] nearly canceled over ‘political issues’ at Women’s Asian Cup” (Taiwan News, March 16, 2026).
A Taiwanese Indigenous dance performance at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia was nearly canceled on Saturday due to “political issues” before the [ROC] Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened.
After former Taiwan men’s national team head coach Chen Kuei-jen was ejected for shouting “Go Taiwan” from the sidelines [why?], another controversy emerged outside the Taiwan-China quarterfinal on Saturday, per Liberty Times. A Taiwanese Indigenous dance group invited by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to perform during halftime was suddenly told shortly before going on stage that the performance had been canceled.
Lala Kao, a member of the dance group, said they were preparing to enter the venue when she received a phone call about the cancellation due to “political issues” [raised by whom?]. She expressed frustration because the group had been invited by the organizers and received a confirmation email from the AFC the day before.
According to an ROC lawmaker, Ngalim Tiunn, Tourism Western Australia explained that the cancellation was a result of “some sensitivities around the teams,” which is vague-speak for bitching by the Chinese Communist Party. This is my inference or guess. Nothing in the Taiwan News story explicitly states that the fracas happened because of standard anti-Taiwan caterwauling by the CCP.
The AFC’s liaison organization in Australia later told [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] officials it had received notice that, due to sensitivities between the two teams, neither side would be invited to perform. Instead, a “neutral” lion dance was planned to represent both teams at the Fan Zone.
However, the confederation ultimately reversed the cancellation, and the group performed at 12:30 p.m. MOFA criticized what it described as repeated political censorship by the organizers.
Fine, the dance by the Taiwanese troupe happened; injustice averted thanks to pressure from a foreign ministry. There should also be an apology to the coach who was kicked out for shouting “Go Taiwan!” A kind of exclamation not unheard of at sports events. We know what made the participatory effusion controversial at this one.
