TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In commemoration of the U.S. Independence Day on July 4th, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) hosted a reception on Thursday (July 6) with President Tsai Ing-wen and all three presidential candidates in attendance.
The participation of Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT), and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) highlighted the bilateral bonds between Taipei and Washington, according to President Tsai.
"I'm sure all the presidential candidates who are here tonight will agree without hesitation, right?" Tsai stated. Tsai then called out the three candidates and asked them to raise their hands and say, "Yes!"
Over one hundred representatives from Taiwan's political, business, academic, and military sectors and diplomats from various countries stationed in Taiwan attended the reception.
In her speech, Tsai also expressed her gratitude for the invitation from AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk and extended greetings to Lai, Hou, and Ko.
Tsai reiterated that the United States is Taiwan's most steadfast ally, supporting Taiwan's pursuit of democracy and freedom and assisting Taiwan at every crucial moment.
Tsai stated that her term will end next year, but she is looking forward to establishing a more substantial and robust relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. in the future.
Tsai remarked that with the signing of the first batch of agreements under the "U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade," Taiwan-US trade relations have become more consolidated than ever before, and investments between Taiwan and the US have grown at an unprecedented rate.
During the event, Hou was accompanied by KMT legislator Chiang Chi-chen and KMT Director of International Affairs Huang Chieh-cheng, among others.
Chiang revealed that Hou had conversations with AIT Director and greeted representatives from the European Union, India, and other Asian countries' representatives in Taiwan.
In a post-event media interview, Ko expressed his agreement that the Taiwan-US relationship needs to continue deepening.
Although there was no interaction among the three presidential candidates in this rare joint appearance, one thing is sure. Each candidate strived to seize the opportunity to showcase their diplomatic capabilities.