Greater China's Olympic Medal Haul

<p>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.</p><p>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.</p>