US-based Hello Taiwan sets up office in Taipei

• By Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Congratulations from local and US politicians poured in yesterday as the US-based Hello Taiwan launched an office in Taipei.

Founded in 2010 by Taiwanese Americans, Hello Taiwan established its Taiwan Center in Flushing, New York, to promote Taiwanese values ​​and culture in the US and other countries, chairman Ming Chiang (江明信) said in his opening address.

Since he joined the organization in 2018, Hello Taiwan, whose members include artists, academics, cultural experts and businesspeople, had organized or sponsored more than 100 events not just in the US, but also in Europe and other areas.

Hello Taiwan has served as a bridge to give Taiwan a voice to communicate with other countries, he said.

“Our efforts have put a spotlight on Taiwan to shine on the world stage,” he said.

Establishing an office in Taiwan is a milestone, allowing Taiwanese Americans to realize their dream of putting down roots and supports new developments in Taiwan, he said.

“By setting up a new office here [Hello Taiwan] can work with Taiwan’s elected representatives and other civil organizations, to enhance relations and forge closer links between Taiwan and the US,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Jie (黃捷) said in a speech at the launch.

“Hello Taiwan is a civil society group undertaking advocacy work and connecting with other countries and their governments. It assists Taiwan in reaching out and engaging with the international community,” DPP New Taipei City Councilor Evalyn Chen (陳乃瑜) said.

DPP international affairs director Lii Wen (李問) lauded Hello Taiwan’s endeavors to present Taiwan’s socio-cultural affairs to the world while also bringing the world to Taiwan.

“Through such efforts, the international community has learned about Taiwan’s perseverance and its important role, as it continues to deepen its democratic roots and human rights values,” he said.

DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) said that China relentlessly churned out disinformation and propaganda campaigns against Taiwan and other countries.

“Civil society groups should therefore assist in evaluating and transmitting verified information and news reports, so that Hello Taiwan can team up with other organizations to support Taiwan’s robust growth,” he said.

Many overseas Taiwanese have given a lot of help and contributed to Taiwan’s political development over the past decades, leading to the vigorous growth of Taiwan’s economy and democratic system, Taiwan Association of University Professors chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said.

“Now Taiwan is at the front line of the world’s democratic alliance to defend freedom and democracy… We have the strength and experience in fighting dictatorship, and we must share these with other countries,” he added. “We can do this by combining the vitality of civil society groups to combat Chinese coercion and military intimidation.”

Taiwan has bolstered its profile on the world stage in recent years, and “now is the time to strive for more collaboration between the public sector and civil society to generate closer links and interactions between Taiwan and other countries,” Tunghai University political science professor Shen Yu-chung (沈有忠) said.

Chiang read a number of congratulatory messages from US representatives Ted Lieu (劉雲平), who was born in Taiwan, Gregory Meeks, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Lawler, Randy Feenstra, Andrea Salinas, Judy Chu and Randy Feenstra.

“Hello Taiwan presents an image, communicates information, and organizes or sponsors events for people in various countries to feel the Taiwanese’ friendliness, learn about the Taiwanese culture, understand facts about Taiwan, and thereby befriend and even advocate for Taiwan,” the mission statement on the organization’s Web site says.

It cited as examples the holding of “Taiwan Day” at an MLB New York Mets home game in Citi Field, in which Taiwanese baseballers and entertainers were invited as guests.

It also organizes or sponsors events that encourage overseas Taiwanese and people of other ethnic backgrounds, across generations, to do charity work together, and to demonstrate the Taiwanese’s compassion and goodwill, it says.