California Assembly Republican Caucus
Refugee from communist Vietnam refuses to back down after complaint from Beijing officials.
SACRAMENTO — In case you missed it, Assemblymember Tri Ta (R-Westminster) pushed back after the Chinese consulate contacted his office to complain about a photo he posted on social media showing his meeting with Taiwan’s representative during a recent visit to the California State Capitol.
According to a statement from Ta’s office, consulate representatives contacted staff to object to the photo showing Ta with David Wu, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco.
Ta rejected the complaint.
“Let me be very clear: California elected officials do not take orders from the Chinese Communist Party,” Ta said. “It is deeply inappropriate for a foreign government to attempt to intimidate American public officials over who we meet with or what we post.”
Ta said the pressure only strengthens his resolve.
“My family fled communism so we could live in freedom,” Ta said. “I will never back down when authoritarian governments try to intimidate American leaders.”
Wu recently visited the State Capitol, where Ta welcomed him to Sacramento and hosted him for a tour of the Assembly and Senate chambers.
Ta also reaffirmed California’s relationship with Taiwan.
“Taiwan is a vibrant democracy and an important economic partner,” Ta said. “I will always be proud to stand with the Taiwanese people and recognize their representatives.”
Ta represents California’s 70th Assembly District, which includes Westminster and Garden Grove, home to Little Saigon, the largest Vietnamese-American community outside Vietnam. Many families in the district arrived in the United States after fleeing communist regimes in Southeast Asia.
###