Taiwan marathon organizers apologize after giving out prizes in the shape of a Chinese machine gun

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The organizers of a marathon in southern Taiwan, including a member of the self-governing island republic’s legislature, apologized Sunday after giving out prizes in the shape of a golden Chinese machine gun. Taiwan marathon organizers apologize after giving out prizes in the shape of a Chinese machine gun Legislator Hsu Chi-chieh, of the ruling Democratic Progressive party that favors the island’s independence from China, apologized and said the use of the image of a Chinese QBZ-95 on trophies for top winners was an unintentional mistake. In an address to the island last week, President William Lai Ching-te reminded residents that Taiwan law designates mainland China as a “foreign hostile force” and said tougher measures were being taken to prevent Chinese subversion through the media and civic exchanges. Underscoring the apparent incompetence behind the incident, the Fengshan Marathon held near the major southern port of Kaohsiung wound its way through the Taiwanese Military Academy, the Army Infantry Training Command and the Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School, all affiliated with the Defense Ministry.