Director-General Yvonne Hsiao of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston was invited by the Oklahoma City Sister City Association on September 22 to attend the "OKC Toast to Taiwan" reception, which celebrated the friendship with Taiwan.
In her remarks, Director-General Hsiao noted that this year marks the 40th anniversary of sister-city ties between Oklahoma City and Tainan City, as well as the 45th anniversary of sister-city ties with Taipei City. Furthermore, Oklahoma established its very first sister-state relationship with Taiwan, highlighting the deep and close bonds between the two sides.
This year also coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's first direct presidential election. From the lifting of martial law in 1987, the first direct presidential election in 1996, and the first peaceful transfer of power in 2000, to Tsai Ing-wen becoming Taiwan's first female president in 2016, the people of Taiwan have remained steadfast over the decades in upholding their democratic way of life, proving that democracy can thrive successfully in a Chinese-speaking society.
Taiwan is grateful for the continued support of the United States, and bilateral economic and trade relations are flourishing. This year, Taiwan has risen to become the fourth-largest trading partner of the U.S. Additionally, the announcement of the upcoming establishment of the "Oklahoma Taiwan Regional Office" in Taipei sets the stage for even closer partnership in the future.
