 Wu Chia-ching at the 2007 World Pool Trickshot Masters | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nickname | "Little Genius" |
| Born | (1989-02-09)9 February 1989 (age 36) |
| Pool career | |
| Country |  China |
| Pool games | 9-Ball |
| Tournament wins | |
| World Champion | 9-Ball (2005), 8-Ball (2005) |
| Highest rank | 14[1] |
Wu Jiaqing (simplified Chinese:吴珈庆;traditional Chinese:吳珈慶;pinyin:Wú Jiāqìng; born 9 February 1989) is aTaiwanese-born Chinese professionalpool player. He is nicknamed theTaishan Shentong ("Little Genius fromTaishan"). Since 2011, Wu switched from representing Chinese Taipei to representing the country of China.[2][3] Previously known asWu Chia-ching, the spelling of his name was changed upon moving to mainland China.[4]
Raised by his grandmother from the age of 2, Wu began playingeight-ball at the age of 10 at his family-runpool hall. When he became serious about pool, his grandmother would shuttle him from one competition venue to another on herscooter.[5]
In 2005, after only six years of playing, Wu became the youngest men's player ever to win theWPA World Nine-ball Championship at 16 years old. The next year, he was the top seed of the event, but lost in the quarter-final round to eventual winnerRonato Alcano of thePhilippines.
Wu also won the 2005WPA World Eight-ball Championship. Previously, he was the runner-up at the 2004Juniors Nine-ball World Championship.
He placed second toDarren Appleton in the inauguralWPA World Ten-ball Championship in 2008, claiming the runner-up prize ofUS$40,000[6] In the semi-finals of the event, Wu had defeatedDemosthenes Pulpul of thePhilippines, 11–8, using a borrowedcue stick.[7][8][9]
In 2011 Wu applied for and obtained citizenship of thePeople's Republic of China. Ostensibly, Wu did this, to allow himself to compete in more international events. Wu stated the decision was made for sporting reasons and should not be regarded in a political light.[10] As of April 2011, Wu has not given up hisRepublic of China nationality.[11] Republic of China DeputyMinister of the InteriorLin Tzu-ling stated that "An ROC national who wants to give up his or her citizenship must go through certain procedures. So far, I do not think we have received any application from him (Wu) to do so". The Minister noted that “As long as he is still an ROC national, he will be drafted into the military if he comes back to Taiwan.” The Republic of China'sAct Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area stipulates that both the “Taiwan Area” and the “Mainland Area” are parts of the ROC, and the “Mainland Area” is legally defined as “ROC territory outside of the Taiwan Area.”[11] In addition, the law does not recognize PRC citizenship and defines PRC citizens as “people of the Mainland Area” who “have household registration in the Mainland Area.” Article 9-1 of the same law prohibits “the people of the Taiwan Area” from obtaining household registration in “the Mainland Area,” those who break the law are banned from voting and serving in office, while their household registration in “the Taiwan Area” is annulled.[11]
