Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York expresses profound sorrow over the passing of former President Lee Teng-hui on July 30, 2020. There will be a memorial set up in this office for people who would like to pay tribute to former President Lee.
Please visit the second floor of TECO in New York from August 3 to 14 (excluding weekends and holidays), 10:30 am to 04:30 pm, at 1 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017. We will place a book of condolences for people to sign and leave messages.
Former President Lee served as President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 1988 to 2000 and in 1996, became the country’s first democratically elected president. He has contributed to Taiwan’s democratic transformation and consolidation of the country’s democratic system. During his tenure, former President Lee completed Taiwan’s constitutional reforms, implemented comprehensive reelection of the national legislature, and instituted direct presidential elections. Under his leadership, Taiwan successfully transformed into a model of democracy in Asia and he was widely lauded as “Mr. Democracy” for these great historic achievements.
Former President Lee visited Cornell University in 1995—the first ROC (Taiwan) president to set foot on American soil after the two countries severed official ties. He delivered a speech “Always in my heart” at Cornell, in which he expressed his determination to uphold the ideals of democracy and freedom, respect for individual free will and popular sovereignty, and the importance of the Taiwan experience.
