DistantNews
Support us
Taiwan VP Hsiao Bi-khim's first pitch draws playful critique from ex-President Tsai Ing-wen
🇩🇪 Germany /Elections & Politics

Taiwan VP Hsiao Bi-khim's first pitch draws playful critique from ex-President Tsai Ing-wen

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim participated in a ceremonial first pitch at a Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) game.
  • Former President Tsai Ing-wen was also in attendance to watch the game, which celebrated "Taiwan-US Friendship Night."
  • During a lighthearted exchange, Tsai playfully teased Hsiao about her pitch, which reportedly went awry.

Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim took part in a ceremonial first pitch at a Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) game held at Tianmu Baseball Stadium. The event, dubbed "Taiwan-US Friendship Night," also saw the attendance of former President Tsai Ing-wen, who was present to watch the proceedings.

Did you see me pitch?

— Hsiao Bi-khimAsking former President Tsai Ing-wen after throwing the ceremonial first pitch.

American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen served as the batter for the ceremonial pitch, with Vice President Hsiao taking the mound. Former President Tsai, wearing a "No. 67" jersey, observed the game from the stands. The event aimed to celebrate the strong ties between Taiwan and the United States.

Yes, yes, it fell on the ground!

— Tsai Ing-wenPlayfully responding to Hsiao Bi-khim's question about her pitch.

Following her pitch, Hsiao approached Tsai's viewing box to greet her and excitedly asked, "Did you see me pitch?" Tsai responded with a playful jab, "Yes, yes, it fell on the ground!" This remark elicited a mix of amusement and mock protest from Hsiao, who countered, "Everyone else praised me, only you are criticizing me! Give me some encouragement."

Everyone else praised me, only you are criticizing me! Give me some encouragement.

— Hsiao Bi-khimReacting to Tsai Ing-wen's teasing remark about her pitch.

Tsai, known for her direct communication style, jokingly attributed her remark to being "more strict." Reports indicate that Hsiao had practiced well before the official pitch, but nerves may have affected her performance during the actual throw. Video clips of the exchange were shared online, drawing humorous comments from netizens who appreciated the candid interaction between the two prominent political figures.

I'm a bit stricter.

— Tsai Ing-wenJokingly explaining her critical comment about the pitch.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog