Los Angeles Office Hosts National Day Reception with Strong Bipartisan US Support

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Los Angeles grandly hosted a National Day reception on the evening of the 9th local time to celebrate the Double Ten National Day of the Republic of China. This annual diplomatic event attracted numerous prominent figures from Southern California's political sphere, overseas Chinese communities, and mainstream society. Director-General Simon Ma of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles personally hosted the event, and the atmosphere on-site was enthusiastic. Notably, U.S. Representatives Young Kim and Judy Chu both attended in person and delivered remarks, demonstrating the U.S. Congress's steadfast, bipartisan support for Taiwan. In their speeches, the two lawmakers emphasized the deep democratic values connecting Taiwan and the United States, as well as the importance of bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, and security, adding significant official and substantive diplomatic luster to the evening's celebrations.

Beyond serious diplomatic and political dialogue, Director-General Simon Ma demonstrated a high degree of local connection and approachability during his speech. As Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers are currently in the thick of the postseason, Ma specifically pulled out a Dodgers baseball cap while at the podium. He cleverly combined the joy of the Double Ten National Day with the baseball event of utmost concern to local residents, not only cheering on the hometown Dodgers as they battle in the playoffs, but also narrowing the distance between Taiwan's diplomatic personnel and the mainstream community in Southern California. This style of speech, which incorporates local culture, not only warmed up the atmosphere on-site, but also showcased the flexible posture of Taiwan's diplomats in promoting people-to-people diplomacy abroad.

In recent years, pro-Taiwan sentiment in the Southern California region has continued to steadily grow. U.S. Representatives Young Kim and Judy Chu have long played important roles in supporting Taiwan within the U.S. Congress. As a Korean American, Young Kim has consistently spared no effort in promoting security in the Indo-Pacific region and the solidarity of the democratic camp; Judy Chu has long cultivated her constituency in California and is deeply familiar with the needs of the local Taiwanese diaspora and matters of Taiwan-U.S. exchange. Their joint attendance at the National Day reception hosted by the Los Angeles office and their public statements supporting Taiwan not only affirm Taiwan's democratic achievements, but also concretely highlight the stable baseline of bipartisan policy support for Taiwan from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, which remains unaffected by domestic political party competition.

For Taiwan, National Day receptions hosted by overseas missions have always been the annual centerpiece for uniting the hearts of the overseas diaspora and deepening relationships with local political and academic circles. As Los Angeles is one of the important gathering places for overseas Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants across the United States, the scale of events and attendance levels at its overseas office are often viewed as a weather vane for local-level interactions between Taiwan and the United States. In the current complex geopolitical environment, public support from U.S. local dignitaries helps convey a clear message to the international community that Taiwan is not isolated. Through the interweaving of soft topics such as culture and sports—exemplified this time by the clever incorporation of the Dodgers' postseason craze—it is possible to effectively break through the framework of traditional, serious diplomacy and reach a broader demographic of grassroots American citizens.

In summary, this National Day reception held in Los Angeles was not merely a simple celebration, but a concrete manifestation of grassroots Taiwan-U.S. diplomacy and bilateral friendship. From the public support of federal lawmakers to the Director-General using a Dodgers cap to liven up the atmosphere, it consistently demonstrated that Taiwan's diplomatic work is deeply cultivating a direction toward diversification, everyday relevance, and localization. Facing future international challenges, how to continue leveraging such cultural resonance and bipartisan political support to consolidate and expand Taiwan's space for survival and development overseas will be an important direction for Taiwan's diplomatic team to continuously strive toward, with the successful experience in Southern California undoubtedly providing a fine model.

(Source: Central News Agency)