Taiwan is handing a residency and work card to Taiwanese-American baseball player Stuart Fairchild, a small win for the island's push to pull in foreign talent.

• Fairchild's Gold Card application has been approved, with a public ceremony planned for November.
• He played for Taiwan at the World Baseball Classic in March through his Taiwanese mother and became a fan favorite.
• The card bundles a work permit, resident visa, residence certificate, and re-entry permit into one document good for up to three years.
• Lawmakers pushed back that few of the 10,000-plus cards issued have gone to sports figures, hinting the bar is too high.
• Taiwan says it wants more sports data analysts and researchers, not just athletes.

Outlook: Officials meet Aug. 27 to loosen the rules further and draw more foreign sports talent.