American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairperson Laura Rosenberger led a delegation on the afternoon of June 7th to meet Mayor Hou, Yu-Ih, at the New Taipei City Government. Both sides interlocuted on the many dimensions of US-Taiwan exchange, Cross-Straits relations, regional security, and regional economic integration. As America’s stalwart Asian-Pacific ally, it was only natural that during this important visit by Chairperson Rosenberger, Mayor Hou relayed full support for continuing close cooperation between Taiwan and the US, and his position on maintaining stability in the Taiwan Straits. Mayor Hou also discussed his career development in public service, and the path to his considered decision to run for President along with his core national governance plans.




After the delegations met at City Hall, Mayor Hou accompanied her to the Panciao Tri-Rails Station where they took the Taiwan Railways to the Xike Station. During the journey, the Mayor introduced Taiwan’s transportation development, high-tech trade positioning, and global sustainable development, before enjoying the dinner banquet at a Pingxi restaurant evincing regional revitalization. All the many female leading members of the City Government joined the delegation included Kung, Ya-Wen, Deputy Secretary-General, Yao, Ching-Yu, Director General of the Secretariat, Ho, Yi-Ming, Commissioner of Economic Development Department, Chu, Hui-Mei, Commissioner of the Public Works Department, Chang, Ai-Ching, Commissioner of the Information Department, Chen, Ran-Chou, Commissioner of the Health Department, Lin, Wei-Chien, Commissioner of the Indigenous Peoples Department, Lin, Su-Chin, Commissioner of the Hakka Affairs Department, Chang, Chia-Yu, Commissioner of the Cultural Affairs Department, Chiu, Chao-Mei, Commissioner of the Youth Department, and Hsu, Hsiu-Neng, Acting Commissioner of the Social Welfare Department, evincing our efforts at ensuring female leadership to promote the nation’s continuing progress. Also in the delegation were Liu Ho-Jan, Vice Mayor, Chung, Ming-Shih, Transportation Department Director and Consultant Yu, Chia-Che. A number of VIPs joined in the banquet colloquies as guests of Chiang, Chi-Chen, a Convener of the Foreign and National Defense Committee, Legislative Yuan, including Legislator, Tseng, Ming-Chung, Dr. Lu, Yeh-Chung, Chairperson, Association of International Relations (R.O.C.), and Professor, Department of Diplomacy, National Chengchi University, Prof. Tso, Chen-Dong, Department of Political Science, National Taiwan University, and Dr. Ko, Chih-En, Executive Director, National Policy Foundation.




After the banquet, accompanied by indigenous songs, Mayor Hou and Chairperson Rosenberger shared in writing blessings of a traditional sustainable environmental lantern, with the Mayor writing “Taiwan US Relations, among Lifelong Friends”, and Chairperson Rosenberger wrote A❤️T US-TAIWAN EXCHANGE, before they set the lantern aloft with its lofty aspirations.




Competent Authority: Secretariat