Washington Nationals host Taiwan Heritage Day

華盛頓國民隊舉辦全國古蹟日（Taiwan Heritage Day）

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Heritage Day returned to Washington Nationals Park in Washington, DC, on Saturday afternoon with appearances by Rakuten cheerleaders and dancers portraying the Taoist folk deity the Third Prince (三太子哪吒).

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) appeared on the jumbotron before the game in a prerecorded address. She said baseball is widely loved in Taiwan, much like in the US, and brings people together. “We pay tribute to the friendship between Taiwan and the United States and the values that both peoples cherish,” she said, per CNA.

The event began as a trial last year and was upgraded this year to a full-fledged celebration, with thousands of tickets selling out within a month. Taiwan’s representative to the US, Alexander Ta-Ray Yui (俞大㵢), said the event was a perfect way to celebrate Taiwan’s first Little League championship since 1996.

Millennial Global Youth founder Tang Po-yu (唐伯禹) said the event’s greatest significance lies in sharing Taiwanese culture with mainstream American society. One of the biggest challenges, he added, was convincing the Nationals that cheerleaders are an essential part of Taiwanese baseball culture.

“At first, they didn’t understand why baseball needed cheerleaders,” Tang said. After some discussion, he was able to convince the team that cheerleading is an integral part of Taiwanese baseball culture.

Tang added that more events promoting Taiwan are in the works, including a 2026 NBA Taiwan Night, while the annual Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival will be held in Rockville, Maryland, on Sept. 20.