New York State Senate and Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on May 29 to celebrate “Taiwan Heritage Day”, commemorating the 45th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. The resolution emphasizes that the Taiwan Relations Act and the “Six Assurances” are the cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations, contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. They also congratulated Taiwan for successfully completing a free and fair election in January of this year.
On the same day, a “Taiwan Heritage Day Tea Party” was held at the state legislature, with over 20 bipartisan leaders from the Senate and Assembly in attendance. The event featured a ceremonial blessing from the North Gong Chaotian Temple Mazu and an exciting performance by the Tainan Ten Drum Percussion Group, showcasing Taiwan’s unique traditional arts and culture and filling the New York State Legislature with a strong Taiwanese flavor. Senator John Liu, Chairman of the Education Committee, presented certificates of appreciation to the North Gong Chaotian Temple and the Ten Drum Percussion Group.
Dignitaries invited to witness the passage of the resolution included Deputy Director Chang Li-hsien from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Chairman of the North Gong Chaotian Temple, Vice-Chairman of the Yunlin County Council Tsai Yong-ting, Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Association Zhu Chao-ran, Vice-Chairman of the Taiwan Center Fang Xiu-rong, President of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in Greater New York Lin Qing-fu, President of the Greater New York Area Taiwan Association Liao Shi-dun, CEO of Hello Taiwan Jiang Mingxin, Director of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Tian Li-mei, former Chairman of the Taiwan Association of Colleges and Universities Dai Ming-yi, Overseas Chinese Affairs Advisory Committee Chen Zhong-qin, and President of the Albany Taiwan Association Jian Shou-bang. They exchanged views on deepening Taiwan’s cooperation with New York State in areas such as economy, education, and culture during the Taiwan Heritage Day Tea Party.
The resolutions passed by the New York State Senate and Assembly were led by Senator Luis Sepulveda, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, and Assemblyman Phil Ramos, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. The resolutions highlighted the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, emphasizing the shared values and 21st-century vision between Taiwan and the United States, building on the foundation of the law and the “Six Assurances.” Bilateral and multilateral forums such as the Quad, US-Japan, US-Korea, US-EU, G7, and NATO have repeatedly stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait for freedom, openness, and security in the Indo-Pacific region, with Taiwan being an indispensable partner for the US in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The resolutions also pointed out that Taiwan is the 8th largest trading partner of the United States and supported initiatives such as the US-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to deepen trade relations and foster innovation and inclusive growth. The US-Taiwan Education Initiative aimed to strengthen international education cooperation and highlight Taiwan’s significant contribution to Chinese language education. Moreover, Taiwan is a reliable partner in humanitarian assistance, disaster prevention, and medical aid.
The “Taiwan Heritage Day Tea Party” was jointly hosted by Senator John Liu, Chairman of the Education Committee, Senator Luis Sepulveda, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, Iwen Chu, Chairman of the Library Committee, Toby Ann Stavisky, Chairman of the Higher Education Committee, Kevin Thomas, Chairman of the Consumer Protection Committee, Jeremy Cooney, Chairman of the Procurement and Contracts Committee, and Assemblyman Phil Ramos, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, along with Ron Kim, Chairman of the Elderly Committee.
In her speech, Deputy Director Chang Li-hsien expressed that on the 45th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, Taiwan will continue to be a trusted partner in regional peace and stability for the United States. She commended the New York State Legislature for passing the resolution and organizing the Taiwan Heritage Day Tea Party, demonstrating their friendship toward democratic Taiwan and echoing the unwavering pro-Taiwan stance of the federal government and Congress, for which the Taiwan government and its people are deeply grateful. Taiwan, as a global hub for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, can play a constructive role in developing the semiconductor ecosystem in New York State.
Chang Li-hsien also praised the efforts of the overseas Chinese leaders present for their community service and their significant contributions to promoting friendly relations between New York State and the Republic of China (Taiwan). The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office will continue to closely cooperate with the New York State government and overseas Chinese communities to deepen various exchanges in the future.