President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday told Taiwanese expatriates in the US that she is leading Taiwan through a comprehensive transformation and hoped that all Taiwanese expatriates could join the effort.
“Taiwan is undergoing change, in a good direction,” Tsai said at a welcoming dinner in Houston, Texas, hosted by Taiwanese expatriates, after arriving for a 27-hour transit stop on the return leg of her visit to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies Paraguay and Belize.
“I’m at the helm of the country, I’m determined and confident that I will lead Taiwan, with my team, through a thorough transformation,” Tsai said.
She asked the audience to trust her and her administration and join the transformation effort.
Turning to Taiwan-US relations, Tsai hailed the US’ passage of the Taiwan Travel Act this year and its decision to continue arms sales to Taiwan as indications of a deepening mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries.
Taiwan and the US have also been collaborating on efforts to promote public health and gender equality, and to crack down on cross-border crimes, Tsai told the more than 1,000 guests at the dinner.
“Taiwan-US ties are the ray of light we expect” amid a growing threat to freedom of speech and to the lives of Taiwanese citizens, Tsai said, apparently referring to China’s increasing efforts to suppress Taiwan.
“Thank you for keeping the light on,” Tsai said, addressing US representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson and Al Green, who also attended the dinner.
It was Tsai’s second transit stop in Houston since taking office. The first was in January last year, when she made an official visit to four of Taiwan’s Latin American diplomatic allies.
Tsai departed Taiwan on Aug. 12 and had an overnight stopover in Los Angeles en route to Paraguay. She was to return to Taiwan last night.
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