The Taiwan Public Affairs Council (FAPA) Northern California Chapter, attended the Cupertino City Council on the evening of May 19th (Tuesday) to receive recognition from the city for “Taiwanese American Heritage Week.” This recognition announcement marks the 10th official support document obtained by the Taiwanese American community in Northern California this year.
During the evening, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commissioner Wu Yiming and representatives from various Taiwanese community organizations were present to receive the recognition. These included the Cupertino-Taipei Sister City Association, Silicon Valley Taiwanese Association, South Bay Taiwanese Association, Northern California Taiwanese Culture and Sports Association, Taiwan Next Foundation, North America Taiwanese Engineers Association, Taiwan Advocacy, Taiwan Volunteer Association, Gengnan Academy, and Truly Love Taiwan.
At the meeting, Cupertino Mayor Kitty Moore praised the contributions of the Taiwanese American community to Cupertino and the broader region. She highlighted the strong connections established in terms of culture, exchange, and friendship through sister city relationships with Hsinchu City in Taiwan, as well as friendly city partnerships with New Taipei City and Taichung City.
Commissioner Wu Yiming, speaking to Epoch Times, expressed that the proclamation of “Taiwanese American Heritage Week” by the Cupertino City Council not only helps more Americans to understand Taiwan’s diverse and profound culture but also allows the overseas Taiwanese younger generation to reappreciate the value and pride of their cultural roots, uniting the identity and emotional connection of the Taiwanese American community.
He noted that the support from mainstream American society for “Taiwanese American Heritage Week” reflects the deep friendship between the U.S. and Taiwan, as well as acknowledging Taiwan’s democratic development over the years. He hopes that this will encourage the younger generation to value Taiwanese culture and promote greater unity among Taiwanese American communities.
This initiative was jointly promoted by FAPA and its 44 chapters across the U.S. According to statistics from the FAPA headquarters, in 2026, over 100 bipartisan elected officials across the U.S. issued official proclamations or congratulatory letters for “Taiwanese American Heritage Week,” setting the highest record in the event’s 27-year history, including 28 governors, the largest number of state-level official recognitions in years.
Stacy Tang, a board member of FAPA Northern California, stated in an interview that FAPA has long been advocating for “Taiwanese American Heritage Week” with the aim of enhancing the visibility of the Taiwanese American community through formal recognition by various levels of government, acknowledging the contributions of Taiwanese Americans in cultural, business, technology, and other fields.
She emphasized that the announcement by the Cupertino City Council is just one of the outcomes, reflecting the contributions and accumulation of Taiwanese Americans to the community over the years in their daily lives. She stressed that the identity of Taiwan and Taiwanese Americans should not be overlooked or silenced, and that the culture and heritage of the Taiwanese American community deserve to be individually recognized and appreciated, aligning with America’s values of respecting diverse identities and freedom of expression.
“Taiwanese American Heritage Week” was initiated by the Taiwan Public Affairs Council (FAPA) in 1999 and subsequently joined by various Taiwanese American organizations across the U.S., with the support of the U.S. government. It designates the week after Mother’s Day each year as “Taiwanese American Heritage Week” to recognize the contributions of Taiwanese Americans to American society and promote Taiwanese culture and history.
Over the years, FAPA and its 44 chapters nationwide have continued to advocate for the issuance of proclamations and commendation documents by various levels of government, making this initiative one of the important and ongoing public advocacies for the Taiwanese American community. ◇