On October 21, the Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Lee Chih-chiang, hosted a thank-you dinner in Manhattan’s Chinatown to express gratitude towards the traditional Taiwanese community for their contributions during the Republic of China’s 113th Double Tenth National Day celebrations. During the event, he also presented a flag to the visiting delegation from the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA).
Reflecting on the recent national holiday, Lee noted that the CCBA, under its leadership, organized a flag-raising ceremony, a grand celebration, and a parade that brought together representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. Additionally, they paid tribute at the statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen in Columbus Park. This dinner served as a gesture of appreciation for the community’s involvement and support.
Lee shared, “This is my first year in New York, and I’ve participated in six different Double Tenth celebrations. The events organized by the traditional Taiwanese community here in Manhattan were the largest and most vibrant, a level of enthusiasm that is rarely seen in other regions.” He emphasized the strength of the emotional ties between the Taiwanese community and the Republic of China.
Zhu Chaoran, also attending the dinner for the first time as the President of the CCBA, expressed his satisfaction with this year’s National Day activities and thanked the Economic and Cultural Office and various Taiwanese organizations for their support.
Following the National Day celebrations, the Overseas Community Affairs Council invited the CCBA to send a delegation back to Taiwan to strengthen ties and gain insights into the latest political, economic, and cultural developments of the Republic of China. The delegation will visit Taiwan from October 28 to November 2, led by Zhu Chaoran as the head, with Wu Jian-shi, the president of the New York Taishan Ningyang Association, serving as the deputy head, and Cai Wei-yi, the CCBA’s Chinese secretary, acting as the secretary. The group consists of 37 members, including CCBA advisor Zeng Wei-kang, the chairman of the Hongmen Zhi Gong Tang in New York Li Yongming, and Chen Shangren, a standing committee member of the Kuomintang’s Eastern U.S. branch.
The dinner was attended by prominent figures including Deputy Director Zhang Lixian of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Chen Yongfeng, director of the New York Chinese Overseas Cultural and Educational Center, along with representatives from various Taiwanese organizations and their families.
