Last night, I had the honor of attending a dinner here at Dos Rios in Des Moines with a delegation from the Republic of China (Taiwan). This delegation was arranged through he American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), which is supported by the U.S. State Department, and facilitates these sorts of exchange programs with countries around the world. Iowa was the second stop for this group of leaders after a visit to Washington D.C.
At dinner, I was joined by fellow Iowans, Representative Peter Cownie, Representative Tyler Olson, State Senator Jeff Danielson, Des Moines attorney David Adelman and ACYPL State Chairman Joseph Jones. We had the opportunity to hear from each of the Taiwanese delegates about their background. It was fascinating to compare our professional experiences and learn more about their political system.
One of the most interesting conversations of the evening was with Mr. Eric J. Huang, Consul on Home Assignment for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We struck up a conversation on the Taiwanese perspective on the North Korean situation. Mr. Huang was very knowledgeable on the regional implications of North Korea’s nuclear program, and his thoughts on possible solutions.
I also have had the honor to be nominated for a future delegation of leaders from the United States to participate in a future overseas delegation. I believe that these types of exchange programs are very valuable in developing not only a broader understand of other political systems, but also in developing more effective leadership here at home.
