Global visibility for Taiwan with Taipei 101 climb, but were risks justified?

Shortly after American climber Alex Honnold completed the historic ascent of the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Jan 25 — done entirely without ropes or a harness in a live spectacle broadcast on Netflix - Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te weighed in.

- Yip Wai Yee Taiwan Correspondent

Left: US climber Alex Honnold scaling the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Jan 25. Viewers from around the world tuned in to watch a live stream of Mr Honnold climbing up the side of the iconic building without any safety gear. PHOTO: EPA. Right: Mr Honnold taking a selfie atop Taipei 101 after his feat. He had said in previous interviews that the skyscraper's 'bamboo box' architecture makes it 'uniquely suited' for climbing. PHOTO: REUTERS

(EPA REUTERS)

“Thank you to every unsung hero behind the scenes who made this challenge possible and brought Taiwan to the international stage,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

He added: “The world not only saw Taipei 101 but also the passionate people of Taiwan and the beautiful hills and landscape of this land.”

Social media users chimed in in agreement, many expressing gratitude to Mr Honnold for achieving the feat in their home town. “It was so moving to watch him climb with our flags waving in the background,” one said.

The comments reflect Taiwan’s eagerness to boost its international visibility and assert its presence on the global stage, at a time when the island faces intensifying efforts by China to isolate it diplomatically. Beijing views the island as part of its territory, a claim the democratically elected government in Taipei rejects.

On the morning of Jan 25, viewers from around the world tuned in to watch a live stream of Mr Honnold climbing up the side of the iconic building - once the world’s tallest - without any safety gear.