President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China met with a congratulatory delegation today (16th) who will travel to the United States to attend the “60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.” President Tsai handed over the task of leading the national delegation to Speaker of the Legislative Yuan, Han Kuo-yu, who will convey the sincere blessings of the Taiwanese people, clearly communicate Taiwan’s steadfast commitment to democracy, and establish a new milestone in Taiwan-US relations.
President Tsai expressed her gratitude to Speaker Han Kuo-yu for accepting her invitation to lead the national delegation to the Inauguration Ceremony on January 20th and thanked lawmakers Ke Chih-en, Wang Ting-yu, Ko Ru-chun, Lee Yan-hsiu, Chen Kuan-ting, Kuo Yu-ching, and Chen Chao-tzu for joining the delegation to the United States to participate in the inauguration of Presidents Trump and Pence.
In her address, President Tsai emphasized the unity of all parties gathered today, stating that despite competition within the country, Taiwan remains united externally, working together to deepen Taiwan-US relations for the country’s greatest interests. She highlighted the shared values of “defending democracy and freedom” and the common goal of “promoting peace and prosperity,” emphasizing a united front as Taiwan faces difficult challenges.
President Tsai stressed the importance of unity as Taiwan navigates complex international affairs and difficult challenges, stating that unity is the key to overcoming any obstacles. She expressed her hope for Taiwan to stay united and emphasized that “unity is strength” for democratic Taiwan to engage with the world confidently.
President Tsai outlined three important tasks for the congratulatory delegation’s trip. Firstly, conveying the sincere blessings of the Taiwanese people for the Inauguration Ceremony, Taiwan celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act last year; the US also sent a bipartisan delegation to congratulate her and Vice President Pence on their inauguration last year. Speaker Han Kuo-yu will lead a bipartisan delegation to convey Taiwan’s heartfelt wishes, congratulating Presidents Trump and Pence on their inauguration, wishing the new government success, and prosperity for the United States.
Secondly, it is crucial to clearly convey the Taiwanese people’s steadfast commitment to democracy, as the theme of this inauguration is “Our enduring democracy: a constitutional commitment.” Taiwan and the United States share universal democratic values and are solid allies. The delegation is expected to faithfully convey Taiwan’s unwavering commitment to democracy, standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States and democratic forces globally to defend sustainable democracy and counter the expansion of authoritarianism.
Thirdly, to establish a new milestone in Taiwan-US relations, President Tsai mentioned the recent advancements in Taiwan-US relations, including the first batch of agreements under the “US-Taiwan 21st Century Trade Initiative” formally taking effect last month, and the US House of Representatives passing the “US-Taiwan Double Taxation Relief Act” this morning. She hopes the delegation will build a new milestone in Taiwan-US relations through this exchange and deepen ties even further under the new US administration, yielding more fruitful results.
President Tsai recalled her attendance at the US Presidential Inauguration four years ago, representing the country, accompanied by the then Ambassador to the US and current Vice President Lai Ching-te. Emphasizing that unity is crucial for Taiwan’s diplomatic efforts, she wished the delegation a safe, successful mission.
Speaker Han Kuo-yu, in his remarks, expressed his honor at being invited to organize the national delegation for the 60th US Presidential Inauguration Ceremony to convey the most sincere wishes of the Republic of China to the United States. He noted the significance of this delegation representing the government of the Republic of China and conveying the sentiments of its 23 million people.
Speaker Han Kuo-yu mentioned, “Today, I am honored to take up this inherited responsibility to lead 8 lawmakers to the US, attending this globally significant event and conveying the most sincere blessings to the new US President Trump, Vice President Pence, and their administration as instructed by President Tsai with the hopes of opening a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges.”
“America is the freest and most democratic country globally,” he remarked, quoting Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and highlighting the shared democratic values between the US and Taiwan. He stressed the importance of conveying Taiwan’s status as a democratic nation, stating Taiwan’s security is like a table with four legs: protecting the Republic of China, safeguarding freedom and democracy, maintaining US-Taiwan relations, and upholding peace across the strait. The delegation’s journey to the US in harsh weather aims to underscore the importance of Taiwan’s relations with the US, which is eagerly anticipated by the Taiwanese people.
Speaker Han Kuo-yu emphasized that the 8 lawmakers in the delegation, regardless of party affiliations, all carry a strong sense of duty, hoping that all democratic countries will value and support Taiwan’s 23 million people. He pledged that the delegation would spare no efforts in conveying the goodwill and fervor of the Taiwanese people to every friend they meet on this trip.