Kaohsiung Branch Office of the American Institute in Taiwan
Division of the U.S. representative mission in Taiwan
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The Kaohsiung Branch Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT/K; Chinese: 美國在台協會高雄分處; pinyin: Měiguó Zài Tái Xiéhuì Gāoxióng Fēnchù) represents U.S. interests in southern Taiwan.[1] It is located within the China Steel Corporation Headquarters building in Cianjin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- 5F, No. 88, Chenggong 2nd Road, Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung 80661, Taiwan
| 美國在台協會高雄分處 | |
 | |
 | |
| Type | U.S. Government-Sponsored Non-profit Organization |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
Region served | Southern Taiwan |
| Services | de facto consulate |
Branch Chief | Neil Gibson |
Deputy Branch Chief | Samuel Hoffman |
| Website | https://www.ait.org.tw/en/ |
| under authorization of the Taiwan Relations Act | |
Neil Gibson assumed the position of Branch Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan's Kaohsiung Branch Office in August 2023.[2]
History
In 1979, the Kaohsiung Branch Office of the American Institute in Taiwan was established. The purpose is to promote commercial, cultural and people-to-people ties between United States and the residents of southern Taiwan.[3]
In 1986, the Kaohsiung Branch Office relocated to the Cathay Life Chungcheng Building on Chung Cheng 3rd Road, Sinsing District, Kaohsiung.
On August 8, 2014, the Kaohsiung Branch Office relocated again to their current location within the China Steel Corporation Headquarters building.[3][4]
Key Officers
The current and former key officers for the Kaohsiung Branch Office are as follows:
List of Branch Chiefs
| Name | Term | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started | Ended | ||
| Patrick J. Corcoran | 1979 | 1980 | [5][6] |
| John J. Norris | 1980 | 1980 | |
| Donald E. Soergel | 1980 | 1982 | |
| John E. Lundin | 1982 | 1983 | |
| John A. Froebe, Jr. | 1983 | 1985 | |
| Syd Goldsmith | 1985 | 1989 | |
| Joseph R. Donovan Jr. | 1989 | 1992 | |
| Jeffrey Buczacki | 1992 | 1995 | |
| Thomas Biddick | 1995 | 1996 | |
| Darrell A. Jenks | 1996 | 1999 | [7][8] |
| Stephen D. Dunn | 1999 | unknown[a] | [9] |
| Thomas Biddick | unknown[b] | 2002 | [10] |
| Robert W. Forden | 2002 | 2005 | |
| Tracy Thiele | 2005 | 2008 | [11] |
| Christian Castro | 2008 | 2011 | [12] |
| Gary Oba | 2011 | 2014 | [13] |
| Robert C. DeWitt | 2014 | 2017 | [14] |
| Matthew O’Connor | 2017 | 2020 | [15] |
| Mason Yu | 2020 | 2022 | [16] |
| Thomas T. Wong | 2022 | 2023 | [17] |
| Neil Gibson | 2023 | current | [18] |
List of Deputy Branch Chiefs
| Name | Term | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started | Ended | ||
Originally named as Chief of the Economic and Travel Services Sections | |||
| Tim Neely | unknown | 1996 | [19] |
| Gary G. Oba | 1996 | 2000 | [19][13] |
Renamed to Economic and Consular Section Chief | |||
| David W. Seckler | 2000 | unknown[c] | [20] |
| William B. Johnson | unknown[d] | 2006 | [21] |
| Jean Pierre-Louis | 2006 | 2008 | [22] |
Renamed to Deputy Branch Chief | |||
| Mason Yu | 2008 | 2011 | [23] |
| John Hartman | 2011 | 2014 | [24] |
| Jason Chue | 2014 | 2017 | [25] |
| Suzanne Wong | 2017 | 2020 | [26] |
| Jack Lambert | 2020 | 2023 | [27] |
| Samuel Hoffman | 2023 | current | [28] |
List of Public Affairs Officers
List of Principle Commercial Officers (Commercial Section Chief)
List of Political Officers
- Jonathan Hwang (2023-current)[43]
List of Community Liaison Officers
- Sunny Lambert (2020-2023)[44]
Notes
- a.^ Stephen D. Dunn was still Branch Office Chief as of 10 January 2001[45]
- b.^ Thomas Biddick was already Branch Office Chief as of 27 March 2002[46]
- c.^ David W. Seckler was still Economic and Consular Section Chief as of November 2002[35]
- d.^ William B. Johnson was already Economic and Consular Section Chief as of May 2004[47]