In a celebration to mark the US' Independence Day, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Stephen Young said yesterday that Washington had been a steadfast partner of Taipei -- particularly in terms of defense -- and that he anticipated that this close cooperation would continue.
The AIT held a reception at the Grand Hyatt Taipei to celebrate the 231st anniversary of US independence. Several officials and celebrities attended the event, including Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝).
The US flag featured prominently on the stage in the hall in which the reception was held, while the flags of the US' 50 states hung from the ceiling.
After introducing his son and daughter to the assembled guests, Young gave a speech in both Mandarin and English. He said that Independence Day was a time to reflect on the principles of freedom and democracy that had guided the US through history.
"From the beginning, our country has been an experiment in cooperation; first of 13 states, as represented by the 13 stripes on our nation's flag, and now [of] 50 states, represented by the 50 stars on the flag and the 50 state flags hanging overhead," Young said.
"Taiwan faces new challenges as it confronts the increasingly globalized world of the 21st century and manages its complex relationship with its huge neighbor across the Taiwan Strait," Young said. "The United States has been your steadfast partner as you have worked hard to build a prosperous society and a thriving young democracy, while looking to your security needs."
Huang arrived at the reception about one-and-a-half hours late, forcing the 300 guests to wait. The foreign minister's arrival was delayed as a result of a luncheon held by President Chen Shui-bian (
In his speech, Huang said that baseball was one of the things that united the US and Taiwan.
He said New York Yankees baseball player Yogi Berra's famous line "it ain't over 'til it's over" epitomized the US spirit.
He also quoted Yankees pitcher Wang Chien-ming's (
"In his simple words, there is an uncommon sense of modesty and determination, and this is very Taiwanese," Huang said.
Young responded to Huang's speech by shouting "Viva US-Taiwan relations!" in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese). He proposed a toast to the continued friendship between the two nations and then added "Viva Red Sox," to a chorus of laughter.
Young is a fan of the Boston Red Sox.
Starbucks Taiwan’s decision to charge for drink customization, which had been free, has sparked consumer backlash, highlighting the challenge of raising prices without making customers feel they are losing value, experts said. Since Oct. 12, customers who order drinks with less or no ice and ask to have the volume topped up with milk or other liquid have been charged an additional NT$15. Topping off drinks without ice was previously free, and disgruntled customers posted photos on social media showing that iced drinks ordered without ice were only half full if the extra NT$15 was not paid. The posts drew tens of thousands
A sea warning for Typhoon Champi might be issued tonight, while the storm’s trajectory would determine whether a land warning is to be issued tomorrow night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was about 1,536km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), packing maximum sustained winds of 198kph, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm was moving west-northwest at 23kph and was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours before weakening slightly as it approaches cooler waters east of Taiwan, Tseng said. Champi is expected to turn north tomorrow, with the angle of the
A patrol vessel donated by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to the Philippines would not be used in waters near Taiwan or areas where Taiwanese fishing vessels operate, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. The vessel, formerly the CGA's 500-tonne-class Kinmen (金門), was commissioned into the Philippine Coast Guard on Oct. 2. Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Cho said the Philippines had pledged during the donation process that the vessel would be used only for designated missions and would not operate in waters related to Taiwan. The vessel could even provide assistance to Taiwan if needed, he added. Responding to questions from Chinese
Stable weather in northern Taiwan is expected to give way to rain this evening, while other parts of the country are to remain cloudy to sunny, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Northern and northeastern Taiwan could see intermittent rain this afternoon as seasonal northeasterly winds strengthen, with heavy rain possible in the greater Taipei area and Yilan County into the evening, CWA forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) said. Despite the approaching rain, daytime highs across Taiwan are to remain above 30°C, reaching 34°C in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said. Starting tomorrow, seasonal northeasterly winds and the outer currents of Typhoon
RSS