A bipartisan delegation led by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) arrived in Washington D.C. Sunday afternoon local time to send their well wishes to United States President-elect Donald Trump on his inauguration, which will take place January 20.
The delegation was met by Taiwan Representative to the U.S. Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) before convening at a hotel. After a short celebration, Yui briefed the delegation on tentative plans for participating in the inauguration.
While originally set to take place outdoors, the event was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda due to extreme low temperatures, where there unfortunately is less seating for guests—including the Taiwanese celebration delegation. Han said he understood and respected the U.S. arrangements and that they were nonetheless there to convey the enthusiastic congratulations of the Taiwanese people to the new administration.
Apart from Han, the delegation includes DPP legislators Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), and Jean Kuo (郭昱晴); KMT legislators Rujun Ge (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), and Ko Chih-en (柯志恩); and TPP member Chen Gau Tzu (陳昭姿).
The group will remain in Washington for four days, where they are expected to meet with U.S. House and Senate members, hold closed-door meetings at the Wilson Center and Heritage Foundation, and visit the American Institute in Taiwan headquarters. They will hold a press conference Wednesday explaining the results of their trip and finally return to Taiwan Thursday.