The Executive Yuan of the Republic of China approved a personnel change in the United States diplomatic mission on June 7th, Taipei time. Lee Chih-chiang, Director General of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will succeed Lee Kuang-chang as Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, while the current director Lee Kuang-chang will be reassigned back to Taiwan.
According to Central News Agency, Lee Chih-chiang is a seasoned career diplomat with rich diplomatic experience. He has previously served as Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver and Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis, currently holding the position of Director General of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Lee Kuang-chang was reassigned to New York in July 2020, having held various key positions such as Director-General of the European Affairs Department, Representative to the Netherlands, Deputy Representative to the United States, and Director-General of the Department of Policy Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with extensive diplomatic experience.
Regarding the personnel changes at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Fang Hsiu-jung, Vice Chairman of the New York Taiwan Centre, expressed that the overseas community will host a farewell dinner for Lee Kuang-chang in Flushing at the end of June, to thank and commend him for his friendly and dedicated service to the Taiwanese community in the eastern United States for over four years, as well as for actively assisting Taiwan in establishing diplomatic relations.