First Lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) wrapped up her landmark visit to the US yesterday after a remarkable 10-day performance that has charmed the US' political circle and overseas Taiwanese community. She returned to Taipei midnight yesterday.
The visit to New York, Washington and Los Angeles was hailed as a great success in cementing Taiwan-US ties and boosting the country's international profile. It also provided an unprecedented occasion for the public to see the quick wit and humorous side of the wheelchair-bound first lady.
PHOTO: AP
This was the second time since President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) took power in May 2000 that the first lady had traveled overseas to expand the country's international space on the behalf of her husband, whose travel abroad is highly restricted due to pressure from China's.
Last November, Wu went to France on Chen's behalf to receive the Prize for Freedom from Liberty International, a global federation of 84 liberal parties from 67 countries.
More than a hundred overseas Taiwanese, led by the chairman of the Los Angeles-based Formosa Foundation Wu Li-pei (吳澧培), saw Wu off at LA International Airport, singing the Taiwanese song "Formosa, My Dream."
During the 20 activities Wu was engaged in in the three cities she visited, she spared no opportunity to promote Taiwan's democratic achievements, to highlight Taiwan's sustained effort to contribute in international society, and to express the nation's regret over its exclusion form international organizations, the UN in particular.
Highlights of her trip included the three speeches she made, one at the National Arts Club in New York, one at the American Enterprise Institute think tank and one on Capitol Hill.
Wu was the first first lady from Taiwan in 50 years to attend a reception on Capitol Hill.
In Washington, she invited her US counterpart, Laura Bush, to visit Taiwan, and expressed her wish that the US would one day allow her husband to visit Washington.
She also met with John Bolton, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, and two dozen senior members of Congress.
Owing to fatigue from a long journey, the first lady fell ill upon arriving in Los Angeles. Most visits and meetings on her itinerary were canceled, including a meeting with the Dodgers' Chen Chin-feng (陳金鋒), the first Taiwanese player to join US baseball's major leagues.
She then regained her composure after some rest and attended a dinner banquet in Los Angeles with overseas Taiwanese.
The media has praised Wu's performance highly, for not only the diplomatic significance of the visit, but the genuineness and frankness the first lady displayed.
Officials in the delegation said that for a long time Wu has been hidden behind the president with the public getting only a partial glimpse of her personality. This time, Wu had a chance to play solo and officials have been bowled over by her performance.
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