On February 10, 2025, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson and Executive Director of Public Diplomacy Coordination, Xiao Guangwei, led a group of Taiwan high school students known as “Diplomatic Young Ambassadors” to visit the new office of the Taiwan Representative Office in San Francisco.
Before arriving in San Francisco, they also visited Vancouver, Canada, Seattle, the United States, and finally reached their last stop in the San Francisco Bay Area on February 9.
According to the organizers, the 17 young ambassadors were selected from 80 teams across Taiwan by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They come from elite high schools such as Taipei Private Fuxing Experimental High School, Changhua County Private Jingcheng Senior High School, and Taipei Private Jingxin Senior High School. Each of them is fluent in both Chinese and English and carries a global perspective.
At the new office of the Taiwan Representative Office in San Francisco, the young ambassadors shared their experiences in fluent English. They talked about the challenges, perseverance, and growth they encountered in the selection process, as well as unforgettable food, precious friendships, and diverse cultures they encountered during the visit.
Some young ambassadors learned the spirit of working together to solve problems with their classmates. Some of them believe that this journey not only broadened their global perspective but also deepened their understanding of their own country, Taiwan. They can participate in global issues and introduce their homeland, Taiwan, to people around the world.
Some young ambassadors found that the San Francisco they saw on YouTube was quite different from the one they experienced in person. Others realized the beauty of seeking common ground while respecting differences when discussing important issues with people from different backgrounds. They believe that mutual understanding drives social progress.
Director Lai Mingqi of the Taiwan Representative Office in San Francisco expressed his delight in seeing the young ambassadors during his speech, emphasizing that his words were not just pleasantries but genuine sentiments.
He recalled his involvement in organizing the first Diplomatic Young Ambassadors program in 2002 as the Chief of the Department of News and Culture at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (predecessor of the Public Diplomacy Coordination Office). He expressed regret for having been unexpectedly reassigned to a different office just before leading a delegation to visit Singapore. Seeing the young ambassadors now, it felt like a fulfillment of his long-held dream.
He believes that the Diplomatic Young Ambassadors program, which has been running for over 20 years, has improved over time as it allows students to put their learning into practice abroad, “using courage and vitality to learn about Taiwanese culture.” The program encourages students to study or work abroad to expand their horizons.
He revealed that many former young ambassadors have indeed become diplomats. He encouraged the current young ambassadors to aspire to become official diplomatic ambassadors in the future. Team leader Xiao Guangwei expressed his two main goals through the Diplomatic Young Ambassadors program.
Firstly, to enhance the interest and concern of Taiwanese high school students in international affairs, fostering more humanistic care. He hopes that the young ambassadors, whether in business, politics, or technology, will lead Taiwan and align with the international community.
Secondly, the current Taiwan government places great emphasis on the life planning of young people. Therefore, taking young students abroad to expose them to things they may not encounter in Taiwan can stimulate their imagination and better help them plan their lives. He also suggested that the students share the beauty of this journey with their juniors in Taiwan.
The young ambassadors’ itinerary in the Bay Area also included visits to the San Francisco City Hall, the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, HSArts, Los Gatos High School, and the Federation of Alumni of Student Cultural Ambassadors.