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Remarks by AIT Director Kin Moy at AIT Independence Day Reception

2016-06-29

政治組

7月4日是美國國慶，AIT6/29日舉行美國獨立紀念日酒會，AIT處長梅健華（Kin Moy）特別趕回台灣主持，並發表演講。

美國在台協會（AIT）6/29日舉行酒會慶祝美國立國240年，主題是美國西部精神，由AIT台北辦事處處長梅健華主持，包括副總統陳建仁、前副總統蕭萬長、親民黨主席宋楚瑜、前立法院長王金平、監察院長張博雅、前外交部長錢復等各界貴賓出席慶賀。正在出訪的總統蔡英文也以「神秘嘉賓」身分，以預錄的視訊播放祝賀詞，並喊出「台美關係讚」。
美國獨立紀念日酒會　AIT處長梅健華演講稿:
陳副總統、蕭前副總統，各位貴賓，大家午安。

今天各位來和我們一起慶祝美國第 240 個生日，我們感到非常地榮幸。今年我們酒會的主題是西部風情。早年那些拓荒者不畏懼改變，勇敢到西部尋找機會和自由，他們胼手胝足，克服萬難。這種樂觀進取、同心協力、冒險犯難的精神，已經成為美國的生活方式。這種開創的公民精神，讓美國的社會和經濟蓬勃發展。
不久前我回華府開會，歐巴馬總統給我們一個發人深省的談話。他說，雖然從新聞看來，世界一團亂、人類也面臨巨大的挑戰，但是如果你能選擇出生在哪一個年代，即使不能選國籍、性別、種族或階級，那麼，挑選現在，你成功的機會最大，因為世界富裕了，教育提高了，也比過去更開放、更容忍、更緊密，暴力和分歧較少，所以你一定會選現在。
現在也是有史以來發展美台關係最好的時刻。我們的合作比以往更多、更深。美國和台灣擁有共同的價值、繁榮和安全。我上任一年來，美台之間有很多合作。
我們和前任的馬總統，以及第三次和平政黨輪替之後的蔡總統政府，都建立起紮實的關係。
去年，美國穩居台灣第二大貿易夥伴，以及第一大外國直接投資來源，台灣則是美國的第九大貿易夥伴。上星期，我帶領 70位台灣企業主管的代表團，到華府參加 SelectUSA 選擇美國投資峰會。
我們和台灣堅實的安全合作，不僅展現在美國去年 12 月宣布的 18 億美元軍售，也展現在雙方密集的軍事交流上，這些都有助台灣捍衛自己的民主。
在教育方面，台灣佔美國留學生人數的第七位。另外，美台共同舉辦登革熱和茲卡病毒的防治會議，從而擴展台灣的國際空間。再次感謝各位讓 AIT過去這一年成果豐碩。

Remarks by AIT Director Kin Moy at AIT Independence Day Reception

June 29, 2016(As Prepared for Delivery)
Vice President Chen, Former Vice President Siew, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon and welcome.
We are honored to have all of you with us today as we celebrate the 240th birthday of the United States of America. As you can see, this year, we chose a Western theme for this event. The spirit of the West is part of the legend of the United States. The early pioneers of the Western United States were not afraid of change. With great courage, they headed west in search of new opportunities and freedoms, working together to overcome adversity. Their sense of optimism, community, and adventure has become embedded in the fabric of life in America. Today, that same spirit lives on in America, whose innovation, entrepreneurship, and civic spirit keep American society and our economy thriving.
When I was in Washington recently to attend a conference of U.S. Ambassadors, President Obama came by to speak with us. One point that he made to us was very thought provoking. He said that no matter how grim the news sometimes seems, no matter how extraordinary the challenges that humanity or America seems to be facing, if you had to choose a moment in human history in which to be born, and you didn’t know ahead of time who you were going to be –- what your nationality was, or your gender, or race, or class -– if you had to pick one moment in history that gave you the best chance to succeed, you would choose right now. It’s because the world is wealthier, better educated, more open, more tolerant, more connected than it has ever been at any time in human history. Less violent. Less driven by division. You’d choose today.
I also feel that now is the best time in our history to work on U.S.-Taiwan relations. We simply cooperate in more areas and in greater depth than at any other time. I’ve said it many, many times, the United States and Taiwan have shared values, shared prosperity, and shared security. I have been here now one year. Here are just a few examples of our work in the past twelve months:
We shaped a very strong relationship with the administration of former President Ma and the new administration of President Tsai following Taiwan’s third peaceful democratic transition.
Last year, the United States maintained its position as Taiwan’s second largest trading partner and its number one source of foreign direct investment, and Taiwan is our ninth largest trading partner. Taiwan is also a source of innovation, as I saw first-hand last week when I led a delegation of 70 Taiwan business executives to the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C.
We also have strong security cooperation. You see this not only in the $1.8 billion arms sale package we notified to Congress last December, but also in the growth in exchanges between our two militaries. These sales and exchanges have helped Taiwan safeguard its own democracy.
These are not the only areas of cooperation. Taiwan is the seventh largest provider of foreign students to the United States. We cooperated in conferences to help combat global pandemics like Dengue Fever and the Zika virus, while helping to expand Taiwan’s international space. Again, thank you for making this past year so great for AIT.