President Tsai attends luncheon with Taiwanese expatriates in Honolulu
At 11:40 p.m. on October 27 local time (5:40 p.m. on October 28, Taipei time), President Tsai Ing-wen and her delegation arrived at Honolulu International Airport. Honolulu is a transit stop on the president's current diplomatic mission, dubbed "Sustainable Austronesia, Working Together for a Better Future—2017 State Visits to Pacific Allies." ROC Representative to the United States Stanley Kao (高碩泰) and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman James Moriarty boarded the plane to welcome the president and escort her off the plane. President Tsai and her delegation then proceeded to their hotel in Honolulu, where they received a warm welcome from local expatriates.
On the following day (October 28) at noon, President Tsai attended a luncheon with the expatriate community. In remarks, she noted that the word "aloha" is a greeting or expression of welcome, but can also be used to express gratitude, sympathy, or love. The president said she felt that this word shows the warmth and kindness of the Hawaiian people, and perfectly expresses how she and her delegation members were feeling that day.
President Tsai sincerely thanked AIT Chairman Moriarty and friends from the Hawaiian State Senate and House of Representatives for attending the banquet, and their long-term support for Taiwan. She also extended condolences to all those who have suffered the effects of recent natural disasters in California, Texas, and the southeastern US, and stressed that in difficult times like these, "We stand together with the people of the US." In fact, she said, in addition to an official donation from the Taiwanese government, Taiwan NGOs in the US have also mobilized to provide assistance.
President Tsai pointed out that historical links between the indigenous peoples of Hawaii and Taiwan make for close ties, and Hawaii occupies a special place in the hearts of many people in Taiwan. Bilateral ties are stable in the areas of tourism, trade, and investment, said the president, who mentioned as an example that tens of thousands of Taiwanese people travel to Hawaii each year to celebrate special occasions. Now that Taiwan has become just the second country in Asia to gain admission to the US Global Entry program, she also expressed hope that Taiwan travelers to Hawaii will increase.
President Tsai went on to say she is pleased that the Taiwan-US partnership is stronger than ever, and pointed out that Taiwan will continue to cooperate closely with the US in the areas of defense, regional security, trade, and investment. These ties are grounded in shared values and common interests, said the president, who added that Taiwan will continue to be America's most trusted partner. Speaking Hawaiian once again, she then expressed gratitude for America's friendship and hospitality by saying "aloha!"
President Tsai mentioned that she was surprised to see so many expatriates waiting to greet her in the hotel lobby when she arrived at around midnight on October 27, and was moved by their enthusiasm and affection for Taiwan. The president also thanked the expatriate organizations in Honolulu for their active participation in National Day activities earlier this month, and expressed appreciation and admiration for the many expatriates still concerned about Taiwan's future and development.
Reiterating a point from her National Day address this year, President Tsai said that over the past year, the government has been pushing reforms and fulfilling its commitments. And although there have been a few bumps in the road, these efforts are beginning to show results. The economy is recovering and growing, and industrial transformation is underway. She also expressed confidence that the launch of public childcare and social housing programs, along with the Long-term Care 2.0 Plan, will strengthen Taiwan's social safety net.
The president stated that her administration has reformed the pension system, something that eluded previous administrations, and long-awaited national defense and tax system reforms are underway. She urged Taiwanese living overseas who care about Taiwan's development to rest assured that Taiwan is getting better, deserves even better, and will continue to improve.
President Tsai stressed that, in undertaking this trip, the government is acting on the shared desire of the Taiwanese people to engage with the rest of the world. The purpose of the trip, she said, is to establish closer partnerships with Taiwan's friends in the Pacific. The idea is to cooperate, face challenges together, create regional prosperity, and achieve sustainable development.
The president also said that over the past few years, Taiwan and the US have used Hawaii to promote cooperation in humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness and relief. And in cultural exchanges with the Austronesian peoples, the indigenous peoples of Taiwan often look to Hawaii.
President Tsai also expressed hope that we can build on the existing cooperative foundation to continue building closer and more comprehensive partnerships with the US and other Pacific nations based on the spirit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Over the next few days, said the president, she and her delegation would visit the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands. Acting together with its diplomatic allies in the spirit of "mutual assistance for mutual benefits," Taiwan will examine such issues as climate change, education and culture, healthcare, and the farming and fishing industries to formulate cooperation programs that meet regional development needs.
The president emphasized that, "We can only make each other better by working together." The tens of thousands of islands scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean all have the same goals and ideals. If we are willing to cooperate, and share our technologies and experience, the Pacific region can point the way forward for humanity. The forebears of many of the expatriates at the luncheon, she said, had come to Hawaii from across the ocean to make a future for themselves. History thus tells us that oceans can be an obstacle, but they are also full of opportunities and possibilities.
President Tsai stated that although Taiwan faces difficult diplomatic challenges, we will not limit ourselves. We will learn from our predecessors, seize every opportunity to engage with the rest of the world, and contribute to the world in many ways. And finally, the president again thanked everyone for welcoming her to Hawaii, and stressed that Taiwan is fortunate to have so many expatriates who care about Taiwan.
Banquet attendees included: AIT Chairman James Moriarty; Taiwan's Secretary-General to the President Joseph Wu (吳釗燮); National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥); Minister of Foreign Affairs David T. Lee (李大維); Minister Wu Hsin-hsing (吳新興) of the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC); Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-Chung (陳時中); Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples Icyang Parod (夷將‧拔路兒); legislators Kolas Yotaka (谷辣斯．尤達卡) and Lin Ching-Yi (林靜儀); ROC Representative to the United States Stanley Kao; OCAC Commissioners Wai-Kit Nip (聶威杰) and Lai Chang-di (賴昌棣); Senior Advisor to the OCAC Yang Tai-ying (楊泰瑛); President Chen Guo-wen (陳國文) of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs; President Victor Lim (林偉德) of the United Chinese Society of Hawaii; President Gifford K.F. Chang (鄭觀科) of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; President T. G. Huang (黃春進) of the Taiwanese Association of America Hawaii Chapter; and President Angie Kim (張台兒) of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu.