On June 15th (Saturday) at 6 p.m., the 2024 Houston Taiwan Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting was held in the auditorium of the Overseas Compatriot Education Center. At the same time, a farewell ceremony was held for Chief of Economic Affairs, Zhang Jiahua, and Chief of Wei Tianxiang’s promotion. Over 100 people attended the event including the Director of the Economic Affairs Department, Xiao Yifang, Director of the Overseas Compatriot Education Center, Wang Yingrong, Deputy Director Huang Yili, Overseas Affairs Commissioner Liu Xiumei, Overseas Affairs Advisory Commissioner Song Mingli, Stanford City Deputy Mayor Tan Qiuching, Honorary Chairman Chen Shunzhe, Wu Yaoming, Li Xiong, Zhang Zhijia, former chairmen, board members, and members.
The annual meeting was hosted by Wu Yumin and Lin Shuxian. President Xu Shigang delivered a speech reporting on various lectures and activities completed by the association over the past year, including practical AI workshop on ChatGPT, cybersecurity seminar on online fraud, financial lectures, as well as organizing two barbecue outings in spring and fall. He also introduced the new board members and president election to be held that evening, bidding farewell and presenting commemorative awards to Zhang Jiahua and Wei Tianxiang, Chief of Economic Affairs who will be returning to Taiwan next month. Additionally, congratulations were extended to Wu Binghui, Manager of the Houston Branch of First Bank, upon completing his tenure and promotion.
Xiao Yifang expressed gratitude to Taiwanese businessmen for their efforts abroad, highlighting them as the frontline ambassadors marketing Taiwan overseas and the government’s most precious resources and assets. She mentioned President Lai Ching-te’s implementation of the three main pillars of foreign policy following his inauguration on May 20, which are value diplomacy, alliance diplomacy, and economic diplomacy. Particularly emphasizing the need to leverage the strength of Taiwanese businesses abroad to forge friendships with democratic allies and deepen Taiwan’s connections with the world, showcasing its economic and trade prowess and increasing Taiwan’s visibility on the global stage. Xiao Yifang praised the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce for its dedication over the past 36 years to consolidate strength, deeply cultivate in the southern U.S. and integrate with the mainstream for development, paying tribute to Taiwanese businessmen while wishing continued success in their endeavors.
The Houston Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, rich in talent, not only excels in business enterprises, but also has prominent figures, Tan Qiuching and Li Xiong, stepping into the mainstream political arena. They shared the latest municipal news and insights on entering politics, encouraging the younger generation to participate in community affairs, aiming to expand the Chinese political presence.
During the event, new director candidates were introduced: Zhuang Weiting, Chen Weifeng, Lin Shuxian, Liang Jinghui, and Wu Yumin. After a fair and just voting process by all members, it was announced that Xu Shigang had been re-elected as president by a unanimous decision of all board members.
The evening featured demonstrations of qigong by Guo Zhengquan and Chen Yuanhua, karaoke performances by the board members, as well as a raffle with generous prizes sponsored by the Honorary Chairman and board members. Two lucky winners of the 65-inch TVs were Wang Ming and Li Yingxia. The night concluded harmoniously with a group sing-along of “Only by working hard can we win.” Before leaving, each person received a beautiful orchid plant and a box of Taiwanese-made medical masks.