Former premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday said he plans to express the public’s and the government’s expectations of further cooperation and exchanges during his attendance at US president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington on Friday.
Yu made the remarks after arriving on Monday at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, where he was received by Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York Director Hsu Li-wen (徐儷文) and Peng Liang-chih (彭良治), director of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) eastern US branch.
“I believe that the government would actively engage with the new US administration through various channels in the hope of seeking reciprocity and a win-win situation based on shared interests and values,” Yu said.
Photo: CNA
Asked about the possibility of him extending his congratulations to Trump in person at the ceremony, Yu said he would like to do that, but the chances of it happening are low.
Yu is leading a Taiwanese delegation to attend the ceremony.
Yu served as secretary-general of the Presidential Office and premier in the DPP administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who served two terms from 2000 to 2008.
Delegation members include Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Chiayi County Commissioner Helen Chang (張花冠) and Tung Chen-yuan (童振源), an adviser to the National Security Council.
Yu’s wife, Yang Bao-yu (楊寶玉), is also part of the delegation, along with lawmakers Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) of the DPP; Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲) and Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT); Freddy Lim (林昶佐) of the New Power Party and Chen Yi-chieh (陳怡潔) of the People First Party.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cross-party delegation was a response to the goodwill of the US in sending a delegation in May last year, led by former US trade representative Ron Kirk, to congratulate President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on her inauguration.
The government is sending the delegation to show the importance it attaches to the close and friendly relationship between the governments and people of the two nations, the ministry said.
Before returning to Taiwan on Monday next week, the group is also to meet with US politicians, think tanks and Taiwanese expats, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, two delegations have been assembled by the government to travel to Central America to buy coffee as part of an effort to expand economic and trade relations with Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the region, the ministry said.
The first delegation left on Tuesday last week on a procurement mission to El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua and is to remain in the region until Sunday, Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs Director Lee Sing-ying (李新穎) said.
In El Salvador alone, the delegation purchased 15 shipping containers of coffee to be shipped to Taiwan, Lee said.
The second delegation is to visit the Dominican Republic, Panama and Honduras from Feb. 7 to Feb. 20 on a similar mission, he said.
The procurement missions were organized by the ministry in collaboration with the Central America Trade Office in Taipei.
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