United States Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft will visit Taiwan next week. Taiwan’s government has welcomed the announcement of the visit and said that it will strengthen Taiwan’s firm friendship with the United States.
Craft will become the first incumbent US Ambassador to the UN to visit Taiwan since the US broke off relations in 1979.
The American delegation will arrive Wednesday and meet senior officials and diplomats. Ambassador Craft will then deliver a speech on Thursday at the Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs. The speech will outline Taiwan’s contribution to the international community and call for Taiwan to play a greater part in international institutions.
The Presidential Office extended its sincere welcome to Ambassador Craft. It said the visit will deepen the two countries’ friendship and have a positive effect on future cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also praised the announcement of the visit, calling it a concrete result of the Taiwan Travel Act. The 2018 law allows high-level US officials to visit Taiwan and vice versa.
Ambassador Craft is the latest in a string of high-profile visits to Taiwan made by US officials. In August, US Health Secretary Alex Azar became the highest-level US official to visit in since 1979.