Print

Mail

wiki links

Large US congressional delegation to arrive today

By Jenny W. Hsu Staff Reporter The largest US congressional delegation to visit Taiwan since 2003 is scheduled to arrive today for a three-day fact-finding trip.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said yesterday a 27-member group from the Aviation Subcommittee under the US House Transportation and Infrastructures Committee would use a special military flight for the visit to Taiwan.

The delegation is scheduled to meet with several high-ranking officials, including President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄), Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊) and Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國).

The AIT said in a press release Taiwan was the group’s last stop on a fact-finding trip that also included Singapore and Vietnam. The purpose of the trip is for the delegates to familiarize themselves with Taiwan’s commercial aircraft maintenance facilities and its policies and methods for preventing terrorist attacks on harbors and airports.

A press release from the Taipei Economic and Culture Representative Office said many US citizens in the aviation maintenance industry had lost jobs as a result of overseas outsourcing, and that the delegation hoped the trip could give members a better understanding of the situation.

The delegation is led by Democratic Representative Jerry Costello, chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation. Delegation members include Republican representatives John Duncan, Henry Brown and Mary Fallin and Democratic representatives Solomon Ortiz, Tim Holden, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Michael Capuano and Dan Lipinski.

The group is scheduled to visit Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp, the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101 and the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp.

They are booked to arrive at Taipei Sungshan Airport today and depart on Monday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ou would receive the delegation at a lunch banquet at the Taipei Guest House on Monday.

Additional reporting by CNA
This story has been viewed 1332 times.