CNA对于双橡园的报导
http://www.eyeontaiwan.com/2015/01/02/after-36-years-roc-national-flag-again-h
ung-at-u-s-historic-site/
Washington, Jan. 1 (CNA) The Republic of China (Taiwan) national flag was
raised Thursday at Twin Oaks Estate, the former residence of ROC ambassadors
to the United States, for the first time since the U.S. switched recognition
from Taipei to Beijing 36 years ago.
The flag was raised during a ceremony held by Taiwan's representative office
in the U.S. on the first day of 2015, a move seen as symbolizing significant
progress in the Taiwan-U.S. relationship.
It was very meaningful to be able to hold a flag-raising ceremony again at
Twin Oaks, said Taiwan's representative to the U.S. Shen Lyushun, one of the
attendees at the ceremony.
The improving bilateral ties helped make possible the ceremony, during which
ROC military officers posted in the U.S. were able to attend while wearing
their military uniforms, Shen said.
The ceremony was attended by several officials from the Taipei Economic and
Cultural Representative Office in the U.S., military officers posted in the
U.S. and others. They sang the ROC national anthem before the flag was raised
to the country's national flag song.
Located in Washington D.C., Twin Oaks was the official residence of ROC
ambassadors to the U.S. between 1937 and 1978.
Taiwan was able to retain ownership of the property after Washington severed
official ties with the ROC and recognized the People's Republic of China in
1979.
For most of the time since, only cultural and social events have been allowed
at Twin Oaks. But as mutual trust between Taiwan and the U.S. improved,
Taiwan's representative office was able to celebrate the ROC national day
again at the venue in 2011, the first time in 32 years.
In 2014, the national anthem of the ROC was also sung at the national day
reception at Twin Oaks, Shen added.
At the flag-lowering ceremony at Twin Oaks on Dec. 31, 1978, before the
severing of ROC-U.S. diplomatic ties, then-Deputy Foreign Minister Yang
Hsi-kun cited the words of American Army general Douglas MacArthur: "We shall
return."
Thirty-six years later, Shen said at the same venue that "we not only
returned, but we did it with dignity, respect and honor."
Following Thursday's ceremony, Shen also conferred the Order of Loyalty and
Diligence medals on four officers from the ROC Defense Mission in the U.S. in
recognition of their devotion to the country.