On Tuesday afternoon, officials from various levels of the federal, state, county, and city governments in the United States, along with officials from the Taiwan Representative Office in the San Francisco Bay Area, gathered to celebrate the 113th National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The celebration took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Around 4 p.m. that day, over a dozen officials from both Taiwan and the U.S. joined hundreds of Taiwanese expatriates and community leaders who had gathered to sing the national anthems of both the United States and the Republic of China, kicking off the celebratory ceremony.
Amidst applause, music, and cheers, amidst flower baskets, streamers, and the two countries’ flags, attendees raised their glasses to celebrate the outstanding achievements of democratic Taiwan, marking the 113th anniversary of the first democratic republic in Asia. They cheered for the Republic of China’s journey towards freedom over the past century.
Director General Lai Ming-chi of the Taiwan Representative Office in the San Francisco Bay Area took the stage to deliver the opening remarks at the reception, welcoming guests from all sectors. He highlighted Taiwan’s progress in democracy, economic development, innovation, and praised the success of Taiwan-U.S. exchanges in various fields such as economy, trade, and culture.
Freedom House, headquartered in Washington D.C., awarded Taiwan a global freedom score of 94 out of 100 last year, compared to the United States’ score of 83 and China’s score of 9. In terms of political rights, Taiwan received 38 out of 40, while the U.S. scored 33 and China received a negative 2.
California State Senate Democratic member Dave Cortese congratulated the Republic of China on its 113th National Day, lauding Taiwan as a beacon of democracy in the world. He expressed gratitude to Director General Lai Ming-chi for his contributions to Taiwan-U.S. exchanges in California and the western United States.
P.K. O’Neill, a Republican minority leader in the Nevada Assembly, congratulated the Republic of China on its National Day, emphasizing that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act in the United States. He highlighted the act’s contribution to peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific region, and its role in promoting freedom, development, and prosperity in the entire Indo-Pacific region. Both California and Nevada have sister state relationships with Taiwan.
Lily Mei, the Mayor of Fremont in Northern California, shared that she is a daughter of Taiwan and the first Taiwanese and Chinese-American mayor in the 70-year history of Fremont. She expressed pride in Fremont being the happiest city in the U.S. and Taiwan being the happiest country. She congratulated the Republic of China on its National Day and looked forward to further cooperation with Taiwan.
Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to the celebration, congratulating Taiwan on its National Day. She emphasized the strong bond between the U.S. and Taiwan and their unwavering commitment to human rights. She expressed anticipation for further strengthening bilateral relations and promoting mutual growth and prosperity between the two countries.
Several U.S. government agencies and elected officials sent congratulatory messages to the Tuesday celebration, including the Utah House of Representatives, the Nevada Legislative Assembly, the Santa Clara County Council, the Fremont City Council, U.S. Representatives Ro Khanna, Anna Eshoo, and Eric Swalwell; Governor of Utah Spencer J. Cox, Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis, and Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Stavros S. Anthony; Mayor of Cupertino in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sheila Mohan; San Francisco City Council members Aaron Peskin, Joel P. Engardio, and Connie Chan; and the California Chapter of the Federal Veterans Association.