Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) boasted yesterday that police riding a fleet of 37 Harley Davidsons protected her during her recent American visit and that the rumbling motorcycle escort was a sign that US-Taiwan ties are as good as ever.
Lu returned home yesterday from a two-week tour to Latin America that included brief stops in Las Vegas and San Francisco.
The trip was closely monitored in Taipei for any signs of strains in Taiwan's relationship with its most important friend.
US officials have recently complained that Taiwan has been unnecessarily provoking the nation's biggest rival, China.
Lu said at the airport yesterday that she was treated with dignity and a "high standard of safety protection" during her US stops.
She fondly recalled that police on 37 Harley Davidsons escorted her when she arrived in San Francisco on Sunday.
"You can all ease your minds," Lu said. "Ties between Washington and Taipei are as good as ever."
The rare recent US-Taiwan friction happened during the presidential campaign ahead of the March 20 election.
Lu and President Chen Shui-bian (
US leaders, including President George W. Bush, issued a stern warning to Chen to be more cautious and preserve the status quo with China.
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