President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan leads government delegation to attend President Trump’s inauguration and conduct parliamentary diplomacy, successfully marking a new chapter in Taiwan-U.S. relations
On January 22, President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan led a delegation to visit two major U.S. think tanks, the Wilson Center and the Heritage Foundation, engaging in in-depth discussions on issues of mutual concern. This visit marked the conclusion of the delegation’s four-day, three-night official visit to Washington, D.C. That afternoon, President Han, accompanied by delegation legislators, provided a brief overview to Chinese-language media reporters at the delegation’s hotel, highlighting the significance and key achievements of this visit to the United States.
President Han first noted that during the exchanges earlier in the day with the two major think tanks in Washington, both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on a range of critical issues, including regional threats, information warfare and cyberattacks, the Legislative Yuan’s freeze on certain defense budgets, the enhancement of maritime patrol and air defense capabilities, national mobilization policies, submarine construction, missile defense strategies, lessons from the war in Ukraine, the chip industry, biotechnology cooperation, drone strategy, artificial intelligence collaboration, cybersecurity, and energy policy. The discussions were candid and constructive, with both sides gaining valuable insights. There was a shared expectation for continued exchanges and reciprocal visits to further strengthen Taiwan-U.S. cooperation.
President Han went on to state that although the delegation’s visit to Washington lasted only four days, with the assistance of Ambassador Alexander Tah-Ray Yui and his colleagues at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, the intensive schedule was both rigorous and highly productive. The delegation worked tirelessly to advance Taiwan’s democracy, security, and economic development, with the hope of injecting new momentum into the deepening of Taiwan-U.S. relations. Due to weather considerations, the U.S. government made a last-minute decision to cancel outdoor viewing arrangements for the inauguration ceremony, reducing the number of attendees from 200,000 to just 20,000. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and the active support of American friends, numerous obstacles were overcome to successfully secure President Han a seat in the Capitol’s Dome VIP viewing section. Seated alongside U.S. governors, senior military officials, and foreign diplomats, he was just 25 meters away from President Donald Trump as he delivered his inaugural address. This unprecedented achievement represents the highest level of participation ever accorded to a President of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan at a U.S. presidential inauguration, marking a historic milestone of profound significance. Additionally, all seven legislators in the delegation successfully obtained VIP seating passes at the Capital One Arena for the indoor viewing of the inauguration ceremony. They witnessed the swearing-in of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, extending on behalf of the government of Taiwan and its 23 million people the warmest congratulations to the new U.S. administration. During their stay in Washington, the delegation also met with 24 pro-Taiwan and influential members of the U.S. Congress, engaged in in-depth discussions with scholars and experts from two major think tanks, and had friendly interactions with Chinese-language media reporters as well as more than 500 overseas Taiwanese community members from New York and the greater Washington, D.C. area.
President Han concluded by stating that the Legislative Yuan comprises 113 legislators, and this time, a cross-party delegation of eight legislators formed the Congratulatory Delegation to attend the 60th U.S. Presidential Inauguration, underscoring the government’s strong commitment to Taiwan-U.S. relations. He further emphasized that the Legislative Yuan serves as a crucial benchmark for Taiwan’s democratic development. While domestic political parties may have internal disagreements, as Speaker of the Legislature, he is responsible for coordinating diverse viewpoints and striving to present a unified stance on external affairs. The United States' longstanding friendship and unwavering support for Taiwan are of paramount importance. While Taiwan must maintain and expand its diplomatic alliances, it is equally essential to redouble efforts to ensure that Taiwan’s values and development potential receive greater recognition in the international community.
President Han expressed his gratitude to the members of the U.S. Congress, officials from the executive branch, and scholars from leading think tanks for taking the time to meet with the delegation, as well as to the overseas Taiwanese community for their warm welcome. He also extended special appreciation to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York for their unwavering support, which contributed to the success of this visit. Their efforts fully exemplify the long-term dedication and achievements of Taiwan’s frontline diplomats in strengthening international engagement. President Han also expressed profound gratitude for the concern shown by various sectors in the United States for Taiwan’s security and their steadfast support for Taiwan’s democracy. In particular, he admired the successful completion of last year’s highly anticipated U.S. elections, widely referred to as a “super election year,” which served as a powerful inspiration for democratic nations worldwide and had far-reaching impacts. President Han concluded by inviting each delegation member to share their reflections on the visit. They unanimously expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Taiwan’s overseas missions for their extensive support, emphasizing their deep appreciation for the United States’ rock-solid commitment to Taiwan. They also expressed hope to bring the spirit of cross-party collaboration back to the Legislative Yuan and work together for the nation and the well-being of the people.
President Han extended special appreciation to Ambassador Alexander Tah-Ray Yui of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, Minister Lishan Chang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and their respective colleagues. As a token of gratitude, he presented Lunar New Year goodwill bonuses to both offices, acknowledging their meticulous planning, thorough preparations, and comprehensive logistical support. Their dedicated efforts ensured the delegation’s successful participation in the 60th U.S. Presidential Inauguration and related events, significantly enhancing Taiwan’s international visibility and marking the successful completion of the Legislative Yuan’s first parliamentary diplomacy mission of the year. The delegation departed from New York in the early hours of January 23 and is scheduled to arrive back in Taiwan in the early morning of January 24.
President Han first noted that during the exchanges earlier in the day with the two major think tanks in Washington, both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on a range of critical issues, including regional threats, information warfare and cyberattacks, the Legislative Yuan’s freeze on certain defense budgets, the enhancement of maritime patrol and air defense capabilities, national mobilization policies, submarine construction, missile defense strategies, lessons from the war in Ukraine, the chip industry, biotechnology cooperation, drone strategy, artificial intelligence collaboration, cybersecurity, and energy policy. The discussions were candid and constructive, with both sides gaining valuable insights. There was a shared expectation for continued exchanges and reciprocal visits to further strengthen Taiwan-U.S. cooperation.
President Han went on to state that although the delegation’s visit to Washington lasted only four days, with the assistance of Ambassador Alexander Tah-Ray Yui and his colleagues at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, the intensive schedule was both rigorous and highly productive. The delegation worked tirelessly to advance Taiwan’s democracy, security, and economic development, with the hope of injecting new momentum into the deepening of Taiwan-U.S. relations. Due to weather considerations, the U.S. government made a last-minute decision to cancel outdoor viewing arrangements for the inauguration ceremony, reducing the number of attendees from 200,000 to just 20,000. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and the active support of American friends, numerous obstacles were overcome to successfully secure President Han a seat in the Capitol’s Dome VIP viewing section. Seated alongside U.S. governors, senior military officials, and foreign diplomats, he was just 25 meters away from President Donald Trump as he delivered his inaugural address. This unprecedented achievement represents the highest level of participation ever accorded to a President of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan at a U.S. presidential inauguration, marking a historic milestone of profound significance. Additionally, all seven legislators in the delegation successfully obtained VIP seating passes at the Capital One Arena for the indoor viewing of the inauguration ceremony. They witnessed the swearing-in of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, extending on behalf of the government of Taiwan and its 23 million people the warmest congratulations to the new U.S. administration. During their stay in Washington, the delegation also met with 24 pro-Taiwan and influential members of the U.S. Congress, engaged in in-depth discussions with scholars and experts from two major think tanks, and had friendly interactions with Chinese-language media reporters as well as more than 500 overseas Taiwanese community members from New York and the greater Washington, D.C. area.
President Han concluded by stating that the Legislative Yuan comprises 113 legislators, and this time, a cross-party delegation of eight legislators formed the Congratulatory Delegation to attend the 60th U.S. Presidential Inauguration, underscoring the government’s strong commitment to Taiwan-U.S. relations. He further emphasized that the Legislative Yuan serves as a crucial benchmark for Taiwan’s democratic development. While domestic political parties may have internal disagreements, as Speaker of the Legislature, he is responsible for coordinating diverse viewpoints and striving to present a unified stance on external affairs. The United States' longstanding friendship and unwavering support for Taiwan are of paramount importance. While Taiwan must maintain and expand its diplomatic alliances, it is equally essential to redouble efforts to ensure that Taiwan’s values and development potential receive greater recognition in the international community.
President Han expressed his gratitude to the members of the U.S. Congress, officials from the executive branch, and scholars from leading think tanks for taking the time to meet with the delegation, as well as to the overseas Taiwanese community for their warm welcome. He also extended special appreciation to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York for their unwavering support, which contributed to the success of this visit. Their efforts fully exemplify the long-term dedication and achievements of Taiwan’s frontline diplomats in strengthening international engagement. President Han also expressed profound gratitude for the concern shown by various sectors in the United States for Taiwan’s security and their steadfast support for Taiwan’s democracy. In particular, he admired the successful completion of last year’s highly anticipated U.S. elections, widely referred to as a “super election year,” which served as a powerful inspiration for democratic nations worldwide and had far-reaching impacts. President Han concluded by inviting each delegation member to share their reflections on the visit. They unanimously expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Taiwan’s overseas missions for their extensive support, emphasizing their deep appreciation for the United States’ rock-solid commitment to Taiwan. They also expressed hope to bring the spirit of cross-party collaboration back to the Legislative Yuan and work together for the nation and the well-being of the people.
President Han extended special appreciation to Ambassador Alexander Tah-Ray Yui of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, Minister Lishan Chang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and their respective colleagues. As a token of gratitude, he presented Lunar New Year goodwill bonuses to both offices, acknowledging their meticulous planning, thorough preparations, and comprehensive logistical support. Their dedicated efforts ensured the delegation’s successful participation in the 60th U.S. Presidential Inauguration and related events, significantly enhancing Taiwan’s international visibility and marking the successful completion of the Legislative Yuan’s first parliamentary diplomacy mission of the year. The delegation departed from New York in the early hours of January 23 and is scheduled to arrive back in Taiwan in the early morning of January 24.