【Epoch Times News on November 5, 2024】
The Taiwan Center in Los Angeles held its 26th anniversary fundraising annual meeting on November 2 (Saturday) under the theme “New Journey Together.” The event announced that the reconstruction project has raised over $14 million and featured a speech by Wang Yichuan, Chief Strategist of Taiwan’s think tank, analyzing the Taiwan-US relationship and Taiwan’s identity issues. The annual meeting raised an additional $250,000 to kick off the reconstruction project. President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lai Ching-te recorded a video congratulating the Taiwan Center on its annual meeting and thanked overseas compatriots for their longstanding efforts to showcase Taiwan’s strength, both soft and hard.
The 26th anniversary fundraising annual meeting of the Taiwan Center in Los Angeles attracted a diverse group of guests, with over 500 attendees including Director General Jyi Chinyao and his wife from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, Congresswoman Judy Chu, California Assemblyman Mike Fong, as well as leaders from the Southern California Taiwanese community, business sector, and civil society.
Wang Yichuan expressed his honor to participate in the Taiwan Center’s annual meeting in Los Angeles, noting it was his first time accepting an invitation from overseas Taiwanese to speak in the United States. He emphasized that the Taiwan Center is not only a gathering place for Taiwanese in Southern California but also an important venue for promoting Taiwan’s diplomatic relations as advocated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu’s concept of “everyone is a diplomat, and every department is a foreign affairs department.” Wang Yichuan performed two songs, “My Mother’s Name is Taiwan” and “Hometown at Dusk,” to fundraise for the center.
During his speech, Wang Yichuan emphasized that regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, the relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. will remain “rock solid,” with increased frequency of exchanges and closer interactions between the two sides. He believed that American voters do not base their decisions solely on a single issue but rather consider a variety of factors, while Taiwanese voters may lean towards casting their votes based on a singular issue like national identity.
Discussing the cultural differences in electoral practices between Taiwan and the U.S., Wang Yichuan noted how recent videos of vote counting in Taiwan went viral on international social media platforms, showing that what Taiwanese may see as a common practice could be surprising to Americans. This highlighted Taiwan’s longstanding efforts in promoting democratic elections.
Regarding the complex issue of “identity” among Taiwanese, Wang Yichuan stated that anyone who identifies with Taiwan, including those who came after 1949 or were born in Taiwan, is considered Taiwanese. He reflected on the historical evolution of Taiwan’s national identity, from Chiang Ching-kuo’s statement of “I am Taiwanese, and also Chinese,” to Lee Teng-hui’s “The Republic of China on Taiwan,” Chen Shui-bian’s assertion that “The Republic of China is Taiwan,” and the varied terms used by Tsai Ing-wen’s administration, proposing acceptance of multiple designations such as “Republic of China, Taiwan, or Republic of China Taiwan.” These changes reflect the gradual evolution of how Taiwan’s leaders and society position their homeland.
Using his personal experience entering the U.S. border as an example, Wang Yichuan illustrated the complexity of self-identity among Taiwanese in international settings. However, he believed that “Taiwan” has become the most direct and effective way of self-expression; as time progresses, whether it’s personal national identity or how Taiwan is defined by nations around the world, the existence of both the Republic of China Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China as two distinct political entities indicates an increasing trend towards the acknowledgment of Taiwan’s unique culture.
Founded in 1998 through generous donations from Taiwanese communities in Southern California, the Taiwan Center in Los Angeles has aged over time, with its physical facilities gradually becoming inadequate. In 2018, a renovation and fundraising initiative was launched. The center has now received approval for new construction plans from the local government, intending to build a two-story structure. To ensure the smooth progress of the project, the center opted for full fundraising without bank loans and is expected to commence construction in 2025.
Chairman of the Taiwan Center, Tian Lik-siah, stated that the construction of the Taiwan Center in Los Angeles is not only about updating its physical facilities but also showcases the unity of overseas Taiwanese. The center will continue to serve as an important cultural and diplomatic hub for overseas Taiwanese, contributing to Taiwan-U.S. exchanges.
Former chairman of the Taiwan Center board, Chen Po-yu, who “stepped down” from his position, served as the host of the event, actively encouraging donations and welcoming the arrival of Wang Yichuan to share new information about the Taiwan Strait and engage with overseas compatriots.
The new design of the center eliminates the original residential area, significantly reducing the construction costs of the underground parking lot. The new building will retain ground floor retail spaces for rental income, while also adding multiple offices, meeting rooms, and an event hall, offering naming rights for rooms to donors contributing $100,000 or more.