TAIWAN – Premier Liu Chao-shiuan promised earlier this week that the Taiwanese government will promote baseball by providing more incentives to interested companies and public enterprises to invest in the sport.

Liu, who spoke at the construction site of an international baseball stadium in Taoyuan County, stressed that baseball was the national sport of the small island nation and that his government would spur growth of the game by encouraging companies and military units to invest in baseball.

A plan to offer incentives to companies, government organizations and military units establishing teams has already been developed which is expected to contribute to the sport’s growth.

Besides Taoyuan County, which is establishing an aviation city baseball team, the Taiwan leader said he expects at least eight to 10 new teams being formed in the immediate future. While Liu did not indicate if the new teams would compete at the amateur or professional levels, he did speculate that more teams would enhance the sport’s popularity.

Scheduled to be finished in late 2009 at a cost of US$28 million, the stadium in Taoyuan County resides on a 9.7-hectare plot and will feature 12,000 infield seats. Upon completion, national and international baseball tournaments will be staged at the venue.

Photo courtesy of Marco Vasini/International Baseball Federation (IBAF)

Tags: Taiwan