Hawaiian Governor David Ige on Tuesday responded positively to an invitation from Executive Yuan spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka to visit Taiwan.
Kolas extended the invitation during her speech at a reception held in Hawaii to celebrate the 25th anniversary of sisterhood ties between the US state and Taiwan.
In their speeches, both Kolas and Ige, who was re-elected for a second term last month, expressed their willingness to continue promoting ties between Taiwan and Hawaii.
Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan
Prior to the evening reception, Kolas and Ige had met at the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu.
Taiwan’s pursuit of democracy and freedom remains unchanged, and multiple policies are in place to achieve these values, Kolas said.
Taiwan’s doors are open to the Pacific and it embraces the people of Pacific nations, she added.
Taiwan and Hawaii are bound by their politics, economics, culture, history and geographical relations, and even by blood, she said, adding that they are like sibling states.
Kolas also received a gift from Hawaii State Senator J. Kalani English.
More than 200 local politicians and leaders from overseas Taiwanese associations attended the reception.
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman James Moriarty and former AIT chairman Raymond Burghardt were also at the event.
In his speech, Moriarty spoke about the history of Taiwan-US relations, and said that the two countries share similar democratic values.
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