President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) arrived in Miami, Florida, on Friday en route to Panama, where she is to begin her first visit as Taiwan’s head of state since taking office on May 20.
After the presidential charter flight touched down at the airport, Tsai was greeted by American Institute in Taiwan Managing Director Joe Donovan.
In the afternoon, US Senator Marco Rubio met with Tsai at her hotel to reiterate US friendship with Taiwan and the US’ commitment to an ally, Rubio told reporters.
Screengrab from Senator Marco Rubio’s personal Web site
Later on Friday evening, Tsai attended a banquet attended by nearly 300 Taiwanese expatriates.
Saying that diplomatic work is not easy, Tsai said in her speech that “not just diplomatic officials, but every hard-working Taiwanese expat overseas is the best spokesperson for Taiwanese diplomacy.”
During her 24-hour transit in the Florida city, Tsai was also to visit the Port of Miami and meet with Taiwanese Miami Marlins pitcher Chen Wei-yin (陳偉殷).
Tsai’s first stop on US soil as president comes one day after the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed a resolution that reaffirmed the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances” as the foundation of relations between the US and Taiwan.
Yesterday, Tsai was scheduled to arrive in Panama, where she was to meet with a US congressional delegation that is attending the opening ceremony of the expanded Panama Canal.
She is scheduled to leave for Paraguay tomorrow.
Tsai is to depart Paraguay on Thursday for Los Angeles, where she is to stay overnight before returning to Taiwan on Saturday next week.
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