New York, June 19, 2026 – On Thursday, June 18, the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in New York (TCCNY) held a high-level concert titled “Crossing Generations” at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center in Manhattan. The event celebrated the “50th Anniversary of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in New York” and honored the late and esteemed founding president, Mr. Tsai Rentai.
Over a hundred guests, including Taiwan’s Representative to New York, Li Chih-chiang, the Director of Overseas Compatriot Education Center Wang Yiru, as well as TCCNY board members and friends of Mr. Tsai, attended the VIP reception and concert.
The concert began with a brief documentary about Mr. Tsai’s life, with the Chamber praising and lauding his remarkable and splendid life as “like Mount Tai standing tall, a philosopher in his own right.”
Mr. Tsai Rentai was the founder of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in New York and the World Federation of Taiwanese Business Associations. Born in 1933, he graduated from National Taiwan University in 1956, studied in Japan in 1960, pursued a doctoral degree in International Finance at New York University in 1968, co-founded a food company with his Japanese wife, established Asia Bank in 1984, and served as chairman until 2015. In 2000, Mr. Tsai became a policy advisor and was awarded the “Excellent Professional Medal of Glory of Overseas Compatriotic Affairs Commission” in 2017. He devoted his life to promoting mutually beneficial relations between the United States and Taiwan, and for his outstanding contributions, he was appointed as a presidential advisor by then-President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te.
Mr. Tsai Rentai was hailed by the younger generations of the Chamber as the “patriarch” and “North Star,” praising him for his dedication to uniting Taiwanese business communities, supporting the younger generation, and serving as a role model for the Taiwanese-American community.
“President Tsai Rentai spoke with great authority.” The current President of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in New York, Chang Yucheng, told Epoch Times, “He spiritually led the unity of the entire Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, and his stature and contributions to the nation and society have created a brilliant history for the Chamber.”
President Chang Yucheng himself is a financial elite, fondly recalling his time with President Tsai in the final days of his life.
“Before President Tsai Rentai passed away last year at Citi Field during Taiwan Day, it was a bit chilly that day, and he held my hand, saying he hoped I would continue to lead the Chamber well and sustain it for the next fifty years, saying, ‘It’s up to you now,'” President Chang said. “I felt an immense weight on my shoulders, as well as a tremendous responsibility.”
In the past six months, President Chang Yucheng has set aside his business to focus most of his energy on the Chamber’s development.
“In the past, President Tsai Rentai helped build a bridge between Taiwan and the United States, nurturing the next generation of leaders,” President Chang said. “So, as a middle-generation representative, I hope to continue President Tsai Rentai’s spirit, not only carrying forward his legacy but also passing it on to the future leaders for the next hundred years.”
During the concert, musicians including violinist Yeou-Cheng Ma and classical guitarist and conductor Michael Dadap, leading the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra, performed representative songs from countries such as the Philippines, Japan, the United States, and Taiwan. The commemorative concert concluded with two American patriotic songs amid applause and cheers from the audience.