TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) will lead a delegation of legislators to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20. The group, invited by President Lai Ching-te, includes eight legislators from various parties. They will arrive in New York on Saturday (Jan. 18) before traveling to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19.
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Washington, D.C. (CCBA, 美京中華會館) will host a banquet for Han and his delegation on the night of the inauguration. They expect over 400 attendees at the event, set to take place in a hotel in the D.C. area. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States plans to host another banquet at Twin Oaks on Jan. 21.
Meanwhile, the CCBA also announced a Lunar New Year parade on Feb. 2, celebrating the Year of the Snake. With a 65-year history, the parade will feature dragon and lion dances and fireworks in Chinatown. If the weather is favorable, organizers anticipate a crowd of 30,000 to 40,000 people. Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and Taiwan's representative to the U.S., Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), have been invited to attend.
This visit marks a significant diplomatic engagement, reminiscent of the 2017 visit led by former Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun (游錫堃). The upcoming events highlight the vibrant cultural ties and continued diplomatic efforts between Taiwan and the United States.
