For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 23, 2023
Contact: (202) 547-3686
U.S. ELECTED OFFICIALS COMMEMORATE TAIWANESE AMERICAN HERITAGE WEEK 2023 WITH RECORD AMOUNT OF PROCLAMATIONS
Every year, the month of May is designated as Asian Pacific Heritage Month — a month of national celebration and commemoration of the innumerable contributions that Asians and Pacific Islanders have made to American life.
Ever since 1999, when President Clinton dedicated the week after Mother’s Day as Taiwanese American Heritage Week (TAHW), Taiwanese Americans have annually joined hands to reach out to the general American public to share their heritage.
This year, from Mother’s Day May 14 until May 21, 2023, Taiwanese Americans celebrated their annual TAHW all over the nation.
Some thirty elected U.S. officials issued a record amount of proclamations honoring the contributions Taiwanese Americans have made to the diversity and prosperity of American society over the past decades, and their contributions to the promotion of democracy and security of their country of birth – Taiwan.
In his TAHW proclamation, Ohio governor Mike DeWine wrote “The Taiwanese [American] community should be proud of their accomplishments that have helped make our state a welcoming place for people of all nationalities.”
Mayor of Rockville, MD, Bridget Donnell Newton, and Saint Louis, MO, County Executive Sam Page wrote: “Taiwanese Americans can be proud of their roots and their vital role in the continued growth of our nation.”
Mayor of Cincinnati, OH, Aftab Pureval, and Dutchess County, NY, Executive William O’Neil wrote: “2023 marks the 44th anniversary of the enactment into law of the 1979 ‘Taiwan Relations Act,’ which — together with the 1982 ‘Six Assurances’ — forms the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan relations.”
Mayor of Somerville, MA, Katjana Ballantyne, wrote: “We encourage all … to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Taiwanese Americans to American society … to renew our commitment to the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights that we share with Taiwan.”
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Michelle Steel (R-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), and Young Kim (R-CA), and California State Senators Catherine Blakespear and Dave Min, Assembly members Phillip Chen, Cottie Petrie-Norris, and Avelino Valencia issued certificates of recognition. And so did Mayor of San Diego, CA, Todd Gloria, and Orange County, CA, supervisor Vicente Sarmiento and chairman of the Board of Supervisors Donald Wagner.
Additionally, elected officials from Washington State and Oregon issued the following proclamations and/or congratulations letters.
TAHW Proclamations From:
- City of Vancouver, WA
- City of Camas, WA
- City of Beaverton, OR
- City of Tigard, OR
Congratulations Letters From:
- OR Senator Jeff Merkley (D)
- WA Senator Patty Murray (D)
- WA Congresswoman Marie Glusenkamp Perez (WA-03, D)
- OR Congresswoman Lori Chavez-Demer (OR-05, R)
The City of Vancouver, WA and City of Camas had an in-person Proclamation reading in City hall. Watch the video here:
https://fb.watch/kpEP2ppXdb/?mibextid=cr9u03
(TAHW: 15:07 to 22:36)
And here:
https://www.cityofcamas.us/citycouncil/page/city-council-regular-meeting-46
(TAHW: 11:48 to 20:30)
FAPA President Minze Chien adds: “Taiwanese Americans are proud to be citizens of this great and proud nation of ours, which has a history of and believes in values such as democracy and independence through self-determination. Taiwanese Americans having their own Heritage Week to celebrate annually reinforces the understanding amongst the American public that Taiwan is not part of China, and that we need to recognize the reality that Taiwan is a free, sovereign, independent and democratic country that desires to stay that way and that needs to be accepted by the international community as a full and equal member.”
Dr. Chien concludes: “Especially in light of Russia’s horrendous invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan’s status as an independent country is more precarious than ever. We must do whatever we can to deter and, if necessary, defeat China’s aggression and invasion against Taiwan.”
