The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday celebrated ties between the US and Taiwan through musical performances, with Director Sandra Oudkirk calling the partnership “rock solid.”
The AIT held the “AIT@45 Music Exchange Encore!” concert at the Eslite Performance Hall in Taipei to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the promulgation of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, when the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan was founded.
The AIT was created to carry out “programs, transactions and other relations conducted or carried out by the [US] President or any agency of the United States Government with respect to Taiwan,” Section 6 of the act states.
Photo: Yang Yao-ju, Taipei Times
The act “established the foundation for the continuation of commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and Taiwan,” Oudkirk said.
Celebrating “45 years of the rock-solid partnership” between the US and Taiwan through music symbolized the profound effect cultural exchanges can have on people-to-people ties, she said.
The US Department of State has been promoting international exchange programs since 1940 to facilitate mutual understanding of foreign cultures and cultivate ties that transcend national borders, she said, adding that more than 3,000 people from Taiwan have participated.
As part of that effort, the AIT has worked with the State Department to organize cultural exchange programs, including the Youth Leadership Exchange Program, OneBeat, the International Visitor Leadership Program and Center Stage, she said.
Most of the performers at yesterday’s concert were previous participants, whose dedication to their craft and the role they play as cultural representatives embody “the spirit of cooperation and friendship that defines the relationship between the United States and Taiwan,” she said.
Theater, film and music are great mediums to understand people, as they embody human desires and aspirations, which are especially true in a democratic society where conversations about social issues are welcomed without threat of persecution, she said.
The AIT named the concert “encore” to show its commitment to promoting cultural exchanges and “the deepening of international friendships,” she said.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
RSS