Los Angeles County in California, U.S., unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday to officially proclaim October 10, as the National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The motion, authored by Supervisor and former Labor Secretary under the Obama administration Hilda Solis, was brought up during a regular meeting of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, which was attended by many Overseas Taiwanese residents of the area.
This isn’t the first time the L.A. Board of Supervisors has promoted Taiwan– in just May of this year, they voted to establish an annual Taiwanese-American Heritage Week. At that time, Solis noted it was the first time the county had acknowledged the Taiwanese community, with many stating that the efforts of Taiwanese Americans truly made L.A .a better place.
Solis pointed out that her district, the San Gabriel Valley, has a vibrant and resilient Taiwanese community, saying that their cultural, entrepreneurial spirit and active civic participation make the community. The movement also mentions the 167,000 Taiwanese-Americans in L.A. County and notes Taiwan’s achievements in technology, innovation, and cultural traditions. Attendees spoke up during public commentary time, describing what it would mean to the community, with one even bringing local Taiwanese snacks to share at the meeting.
In a press release from the county government, Taiwan was acknowledged as Asia's first democracy which has continued to make contributions to the ideals of freedom since 1912. It went on to state that this year’s National Day celebration not only highlights Taiwan’s resilience, but also the friendship between the two countries in promoting democratic values, human rights, and economic development.