President Tsai Ing-wen unveiled the plaque for the Taiwan Council for U.S. Affairs June 6 in Taipei City, describing the event as another milestone for the like-minded partners in the 40th year of the Taiwan Relations Act.
Democracy is the shared value upon which the Taiwan-U.S. relationship is founded, Tsai said. It also forms the basis for cooperation in promoting peace, stability and prosperity on the road to creating a more free and open Indo-Pacific, she added.
Tsai said the government is committed to helping achieve this goal while protecting Taiwan’s hard-won democratic way of life and safeguarding its dignity and sovereignty.
TCUSA, formerly known as Coordination Council for North American Affairs, was established in 1979 to handle official exchanges with the American Institute in Taiwan. Its renaming better reflects the organization’s functions and the strength of the enduring partnership between Taiwan and the U.S.
According to Tsai, Taiwan-U.S. ties are at an all-time high, and she anticipates the two sides working even closer together in defending freedom, democracy, human rights and global rules-based order throughout the region and beyond.
Echoing Tsai’s remarks, AIT Director Brent Christensen said the Taiwan-U.S. partnership has thrived for decades and reflects shared interests and values. The economic and commercial relationship provides innovative technology, cultural richness and prosperity to both societies, he added.
Although TCUSA has changed its name, Christensen said, one thing that will not change is the expectation that the friendship between the people of Taiwan and the U.S. built over the last 40 years will continue to deepen. (SFC-E)
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