Tribute to Anthony Ho

TRIBUTE TO ANTHONY HO

HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON OF IDAHO IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Anthony Chung Yi Ho, Senior Officer with the Taipei Economic Council and Cultural Representative and Senior Assistant to the Honorable C.J. Chen, Taiwan's chief representative in the United States. Mr. Ho has been with the Washington, DC, office of the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 6 years, and his presence will be sorely missed when he returns to Taiwan later this year. Mr. Ho is a true asset to the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His leadership and expertise have been invaluable in working with my Washington, DC, staff and many other congressional offices as well.

Traditionally, Idaho maintains a close relationship with the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Idaho State University has developed a strong partnership with the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in large part because of ISU's English and Professional Development Program. This unique program, the only program of its kind in the United States, provides a language and cultural education program for junior diplomatic officers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Over 40 students have completed the program since its inception in the early 1990s, and many of these graduates now serve their country in diplomatic postings throughout the world. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Language and Culture Training Program at ISU is an excellent collaborative relationship that is strengthening our countries through a better understanding of each of our cultures.

While serving as a Senior Officer, Mr. Ho has worked closely with my office. Largely thanks to his efforts, I have been able to meet and work with many of Taiwan's junior diplomatic officers attending this program at Idaho State University. They are an intelligent, energetic group who are eager to serve their country. They are very interested in gaining as much knowledge and insight as possible during their stay in America and look forward to using what they have learned as they progress in their diplomatic careers.

Under Mr. Ho's guidance, our office has cultivated a valuable relationship with the Taiwan Foreign Ministry. He arranged a dinner among the junior diplomatic officers and myself in Pocatello, and he has also worked with our office to arrange the stay of a junior officer from ISU in our Washington, DC, office. For 2 years, I have had the privilege of hosting a junior officer from the ISU program in the Capitol.

Mr. Ho's excellent collaborative relationship with my office plays a critical role to strengthening relations between the United States and Taiwan through strong communication and a better understanding of each of our cultures. I commend Anthony Ho for his dedication and guidance. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with him, and we will greatly miss him when he leaves Washington, DC.