Officials pay birthday respects to Mme. Chiang

Taiwan's officials in the US paid a visit to the former ROC first lady Madame Chiang Kai-shek's (蔣宋美齡) residence in New York on Friday to wish her many happy returns on her 105th birthday.

The ROC representative to the US, Chen Chien-jen (程建人), and his wife as well as the director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Andrew L.Y. Hsia (夏立言), gathered along with more than 40 relatives and close friends at Madame Chiang's Manhattan residence by the East River to celebrate her birthday.

Chen said that this is the third time that he has traveled to New York on behalf of Taiwan's government to greet Madame Chiang, but added that this was the first time that she didn't show up to receive the visitors.

Hsia said that Madame Chiang checked out of a hospital only two days ago, after more than one week spent there because of a cold and cough as well as her regular medical checkup. Her medical staff said that she is now fully recovered.

Chen and Hsia also presented a piece of Jiaozh pottery and a peony flower vase on behalf of Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮). The gifts were presented to Kung Ling-yi (孔令儀), the niece of Madame Chiang, as birthday gifts for the former first lady.