The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco on Thursday apologized after office Director-General Scott Lai (賴銘琪) at an event last month said that he spoke “on behalf of the Chinese government.”
A video taken at the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America’s annual conference in San Francisco on June 19 showed the speech Lai gave in Chinese, in which he said: “I thank you on behalf of the Chinese government.”
Minutes after that remark, Lai told the business group: “I congratulate the chairman on behalf of the Chinese government and the San Francisco office.”
Photo: CNA
In a statement, the office expressed its sincere apology for the diplomat’s “slips of the tongue.”
Lai deeply regrets any distress he might have caused among Taiwan’s overseas community and has separately apologized to compatriots who attended the event, it said.
Lai thanks the overseas compatriots for pointing out his mistakes and will do his utmost to improve himself to avoid making them in the future, the office quoted him as saying.
Lai has served in the diplomatic corps for 32 years with distinction, has displayed a passionate love for Taiwan and shown an unquestionable will to defend its sovereignty, the statement said.
The office will continue to serve overseas Taiwanese and represent the nation’s interests in the US, it said.
The office welcomes public criticism when it or its staff make a mistake, it added.
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