Vice President Hsiao

:::

President & vice president

Bi-khim Hsiao was born in Kobe, Japan in 1971 to father Ching-fen Hsiao from Tainan, who served as president of Tainan Theological College, and mother Peggy Cooley, an American music teacher. With her diverse international background encompassing Japan, Taiwan, and the United States, Bi-khim Hsiao acted as a bridge of communication for her family. This background would also help shape her “cat warrior” approach to diplomacy, which emphasizes flexibility, nimbleness, and the ability to tread softly yet firmly.

During her childhood in Taiwan, she attended the National University of Tainan Affiliated Primary School and Tainan Municipal Houjia Junior High School. After graduating from junior high school, she and her family moved to the US, where she attended senior high school. In 1993, Bi-khim Hsiao earned a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Oberlin College. She then went on to earn an M.A. in Political Science from Columbia University, specializing in international relations.

After receiving her M.A., Bi-khim Hsiao began her political career as program coordinator for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s US mission in 1995, becoming deputy director of its Department of International Affairs the following year, and director from 1997 to 2006. In 2000, she also served as an advisor in Taiwan’s Presidential Office, as well as secretary and interpreter for the president.

Starting in 2001, Bi-khim Hsiao served as a representative at-large for the DPP, and was a member of the 5th, 6th, 8th, and 9th Legislative Yuan. During her terms, she worked to promote transport infrastructure and agriculture in Hualien, while also focusing on issues related to gender equality, diplomacy, and human rights. Her efforts and professionalism in diplomacy earned her deep trust from both local institutions and international organizations, as she went on to serve as a member of the board of trustees of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (2003-2020), Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) secretary general (2004-2005), CALD chair (2018-2020), and vice president of the bureau of Liberal International (2005-2012).

In 2020, she served as senior advisor to the National Security Council, and in July of the same year, was appointed as representative of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the United States. Despite the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at this time, Bi-khim Hsiao made outstanding diplomatic achievements, being named in international media as one of Washington, DC’s most influential ambassadors. She returned to Taiwan in 2023 to run in the 16th-term presidential elections, and was successfully elected as 16th-term vice president.

　　2024

2024-07-30	Attends an international press conference held after the annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). Thanks IPAC for its support of Taiwan’s meaningful international participation. Emphasizes that Taiwan will endeavor to work with civil society around the world to enhance our collective democratic resilience. Says she looks forward to Taiwan continuing to make global contributions to human well-being.
2024-07-29	Meets with a delegation from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. States that Taiwan is working to enhance its self-defense capabilities and its democratic, social, and economic resilience. Expresses hope for working alongside the other countries to uphold the values of democracy, peace, and prosperity.
2024-07-26	Attends the 2024 TechWomen@TW annual meeting, Embrace, Evolve, Elevate in the AI Era. Expresses hope that the participants can make the best of Taiwan’s free, open, and innovation-friendly environment to make significant progress in many fields and contribute even more to the world.
2024-07-22	Meets with a delegation led by Roderich Kiesewetter, deputy chair of the German Bundestag Parliamentary Oversight Panel and a member of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs. Thanks the German government and parliament for its support of Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. Also thanks Mr. Kiesewetter for making the case for advancing even stronger economic and trade ties between Taiwan and Europe.
2024-07-18	Meets with a delegation from the Irish Seanad Éireann (senate). Thanks the senators for their attention to and support for Taiwan.
2024-07-17	Meets with a parliamentary indigenous affairs delegation from Canada. Says that Taiwan cherishes its friendship with Canada, especially the unique contributions we have made to society through exchanges between our indigenous cultures. Expresses hope that our countries can continue to cooperate for an even more prosperous relationship.
2024-07-17	Attends an innovation forum on the theme of a sustainable Taiwan driven by smart technology. States that Taiwan will continue enhancing its AI research and applications, talent cultivation, and techniques, to push for more innovation and development in the industry, as well as for the transition to net-zero emissions. Expresses hope for a symbiotic relationship in which government is empowered by industry and industry is assisted by government, thereby making our industry more resilient and competitive on the international stage.
2024-07-16	Meets with a delegation led by Suzuki Keisuke, member of Japan’s House of Representatives and chair of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Taiwan Policy Review Project Team. Says she looks forward to working together to make Taiwan even more resilient and to enhancing Taiwan-Japan cooperation in industries such as technology and national defense.
2024-07-10	Attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Taiwan Digital Defense Consortium. States that cybersecurity is an essential core of the Five Trusted Industry Sectors. Says that Taiwan occupies a geopolitically sensitive position and is a global high-tech hub, making it a focus of cyberattacks. Expresses hope that the industry can work alongside government to make Taiwan an island of information security resilience.
2024-07-02	Attends a reception to commemorate United States Independence Day. States that Taiwan is sharing its expertise and experiences in dealing with complex global challenges through platforms such as the Global Cooperation and Training Framework and that these demonstrate that a very robust Taiwan-US relationship is also good for the world. Says that democracy and freedom have become essential elements of Taiwanese identity and the cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations.
2024-07-02	Meets with representatives from The Real Estate Association of the Republic of China. States that the real estate industry, as it develops nationally, must satisfy several requirements for buildings, including strength and durability, appearance, and environmental sustainability. Adds that the industry must also account for free market mechanisms and address the concerns of young people for housing equality. Expresses hope that everyone can work together to help advance the overall state of our economy.
2024-07-01	Attends the reception for the 100th anniversary of the Central News Agency. Says that we must utilize new tools and strategies to deal with the challenges we face, such as the rise of AI and social media, as well as changes in the information environment and structure of media. Emphasizes that as Taiwan attaches great importance to democratic values and freedom of the press, we must work together to provide everyone with access to trustworthy information.
2024-06-27	Attends Business Today’s 7th Taiwan Future International Summit, and indicates that the government has formed an active and innovative AI cabinet. Expresses hope that Taiwan can seize opportunity amidst change and continue to play a key global role, and that the industrial, government, and academic sectors will all work together to improve and advance Taiwan.
2024-06-26	Attends a predeparture ceremony for the 2024 Cultural Olympiad in Paris. States that while the economy makes a country strong, culture makes a country great, expressing hope that Taiwan’s participation in the Olympiad will demonstrate to the world our longstanding belief in freedom, equality, ethnic and linguistic diversity, and inclusion.
2024-06-20	Delivers a speech via video for the London Conference 2024 at the invitation of Chatham House, an international affairs think tank based in the United Kingdom.
2024-06-18	Meets with the Taiwan Internet and E-Commerce Association. States that digitalization and the adoption of high technology and smart technology are all important elements of President Lai Ching-te’s National Project of Hope. Emphasizes that as the whole world focuses attention on AI, we must enable every Taiwanese in the next generation to use AI to improve workplace efficiency, and allow the output value of digital economy industries to continue to grow and expand.
2024-06-14	Attends a reception marking the establishment of the Czech Centre in Taipei and the opening of an accompanying exhibition on photography. States that the Centre’s establishment marks another milestone for Taiwan-Czech people-to-people ties. Expresses hope that Taiwanese culture can be brought to Prague in the future, further deepening our nations’ partnership.
2024-06-11	Hosts a luncheon for a delegation led by Czech Republic Senate First Vice-President Jiří Drahoš, and thanks them all for their efforts in boosting development in Taiwan and the Czech Republic in a variety of areas. Says she is pleased to see both sides continue exchanges on many projects and further promote related cooperative projects.
2024-06-07	Meets with a delegation of political leaders from state legislatures in the midwestern United States and a delegation from the McCain Institute, a think tank based in Washington, DC.
2024-06-05	Attends the 2024 Fubon Forum on Sustainable Future, and states that the government will continue raising our net zero economic development potential and promote green finance. Expresses confidence that all will work hand in hand so that Taiwan may become an island of resilience highly effective in advancing sustainable transition, creating a green and sustainable future for the planet.
2024-06-02	Attends a joint ceremony to mark the delivery to the Coast Guard Administration of the eighth Anping-class patrol corvette, Yong Kang (CG610); the naming and launch of the ninth patrol corvette, Chang Bin (CG611); and the delivery of PP-3520, the 31st 35-ton new model patrol boat. States that steadily advancing domestic production of naval vessels will not only progressively strengthen Taiwan’s maritime patrol capabilities, but also spur shipbuilding industry supply chain growth, greatly enhancing the nation’s international competitiveness in the shipbuilding industry.
2024-05-29	Meets with a delegation led by United States House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul.
2024-05-29	Meets with a bipartisan United States congressional delegation led by Senator Tammy Duckworth. Thanks the delegation members for visiting shortly after the People’s Liberation Army conducted military exercises around Taiwan. Also expresses appreciation to the delegation for speaking up for Taiwan on issues such as security, the economy and trade, and international participation. Says she looks forward to further deepening the staunch friendship between the peoples of Taiwan and the US, as well as our cooperative ties.
2024-05-29	Delivers remarks for the inauguration of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center via recorded video. States that over the last few years, the world has had a renewed appreciation of the crucial role Taiwan plays in the global high-tech supply chain and the value of doing business with a free and democratic partner. Expresses confidence that the opening of the Center will provide strong momentum in boosting trade, investment, and people-to-people ties between Taiwan and the Garden State.
2024-05-22	Meets with a delegation from the Slovak National Council to the presidential inauguration and a delegation led by Member of the German Bundestag and German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Klaus-Peter Willsch.
2024-05-21	Meets with a delegation from the French parliament to the presidential inauguration, a delegation led by Senate Vice-President Gian Marco Centinaio of the Italian Republic, a delegation from the Ukrainian parliament to the inauguration, a delegation led by President of the Korea-Taiwan Parliamentarian Friendship Association and Korean National Assembly Member Cho Kyoung Tae, a cross-party delegation from the Australian parliament to the inauguration, and a delegation from the European Parliament to the inauguration.
2024-05-20	Meets with a delegation from the Swedish parliament to the presidential inauguration.
2024-05-20	Sworn in as the 16th-term vice president of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Accompanies President Lai to receive congratulations from heads of state, special envoys, and high-ranking government officials of diplomatic allies and friendly nations.