TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. delegation for the May 20 presidential inauguration arrived in Taiwan on Saturday (May 18).
Led by former Director of the White House National Economic Council Brian Deese and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, the group will convey congratulations on behalf of the U.S. government to President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德). The delegation’s visit emphasizes the U.S.’s steadfast commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.
Delegation members include former American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chair Richard C. Bush and AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger. The members have extensive backgrounds in national security, diplomacy, and economics, and are experienced former senior officials familiar with Taiwan-U.S. bilateral relations and Indo-Pacific regional affairs, per MOFA. U.S. Representative to Taiwan Sandra Oudkirk will accompany them.
In addition to attending the presidential inauguration ceremony and banquet, the group will meet with Lai to engage in in-depth discussions on major Taiwan-U.S. issues.
MOFA called the U.S. a “core democratic partner” that has “demonstrated steadfast support for our democratic process through concrete actions.” In the future, Taiwan will build a more comprehensive partnership with the U.S. to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
Source: Taiwan News
