On the afternoon of June 2nd, around 3 p.m., the Chairperson of the Kuomintang, Zheng Liwen, arrived at the Saint Mary’s Square in San Francisco’s Chinatown. She placed flowers and paid respects to the statue of the founding father, Sun Yat-sen, standing in the square, expressing reverence for the revolutionary spirit of the founding father.
Following this, Zheng Liwen took photos with leaders of Overseas Chinese organizations and community representatives who came to welcome her. Accompanied by a lion dance troupe, they walked to the Golden Mountain Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and engaged in discussions with members of the overseas Chinese community. Later on, they visited the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and the Bing Gong Tong, interacting with local Overseas Chinese representatives.
During the meeting, Yu Aizhen, the chairperson of the Golden Mountain Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, welcomed Zheng Liwen’s visit with a speech. She mentioned that since being elected as the Chairperson of the Kuomintang, Zheng Liwen has been working diligently for the well-being of the people and promoting peace across the strait, a spirit that is truly admirable.
Yu Aizhen, on behalf of the memorial hall, presented the guests with an introduction booklet of the “Golden Mountain Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall” produced by the director, Yang Kunshan.
Zhou Dachang, a standing committee member of the Kuomintang’s branch in the United States, also delivered a speech thanking Zheng Liwen for her continuous care for overseas compatriots and acknowledging her efforts in promoting party development and facilitating cross-strait exchanges.
Zhong Weijun, the honorary chairperson of the Golden Mountain Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, then introduced the representatives of the Overseas Chinese organizations and guests one by one.
In her address, Zheng Liwen mentioned that this year marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of the founding father, Sun Yat-sen. The founding father had promoted revolutionary work in San Francisco and founded the “Young China Daily” here, demonstrating his deep expectations for the younger generation and hoping that revolutionary ideas could be passed down through generations.
She pointed out that the Constitution of the Republic of China clearly states that the Republic of China is based on the Three Principles of the People, aiming to be a democratic republic where the people have, exercise, and enjoy governance. After more than a hundred years of development, Taiwan has become a global model in terms of democracy, freedom, rule of law, and economic achievements.
She also expressed that San Francisco holds an important position in the history of the democratic revolution of the Republic of China, with overseas Chinese caring deeply about the development of China and Taiwan and witnessing the inheritance of democratic and republican ideals.
She stated that in the 21st century, the ideal put forward by the founding father Sun Yat-sen of “revitalizing China” still holds profound significance. She believed that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation today signifies not only progress in economy and technology but also represents the historical mission for Chinese civilization to make contributions to the world once again.
She mentioned that choosing San Francisco as the first stop of her visit to the United States held special significance. San Francisco not only witnessed the history of the founding father’s promotion of revolution but is also an important city where overseas Chinese have long been concerned about the destiny of the Chinese nation. The short distance from Saint Mary’s Square to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall symbolizes the continuation of history, culture, and the mission of the future.
She stated that San Francisco connects the history of the democratic revolution of the Republic of China and the shared expectations of peace and prosperity for people across the Pacific on both sides. On the 160th anniversary of the founding father’s birth, gathering at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, it is even more essential to collectively shoulder the responsibility of promoting peace.
She called on the Overseas Chinese community to continue playing a bridging role, inheriting the revolutionary spirit of the founding father, and uniting the strength of overseas Chinese to build a future that is distant from war and even more peaceful and stable for the next generation.
Finally, Zheng Liwen expressed gratitude to the guests present and hoped that everyone would remember the gathering at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in San Francisco. She emphasized that it was not just a historic exchange but also an important moment of jointly assuming the mission of peace.