TNUA President Prof. Chen Kai-Huang extended a warm welcome to Mr. Jose Miguel Angel Soto Jimenez, the Dominican Republic ambassador to the Republic of China, during his visit to the university on February 1.
 

The ambassador also met with other TNUA administrators, including: Prof. Guo Jau-Lan, chief director of the International Exchange Center; Prof. Lin Hong-John, director of the Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts (KdMoFA); and Prof. Ya-Tin Lin, chairperson of the International Master of the Arts Program in Cultural and Creative Industries (IMCCI).
 

Mr. Soto Jiminez has been the Dominican Republic ambassador to the ROC since July 2017. Previously he had served as defense minister of his country and had visited Taiwan twice.

He is also a famous writer who has published many books in various genres. He visited TNUA to get a better understanding of Taiwan’s higher education in arts and to explore possibility of exchange between the two sides.
 

Prof. Chen gave Mr. Soto Jimenze and others in his delegation an introduction to the university. He pointed out that IMCCI has foreign students from the Dominican Republic and other countries. He said he hopes that art can serve as a foundation on which diverse cultural exchanges can be built.  
 

Mr. Soto Jimenze noted that apart from political and economic issues, arts and culture are also very important parts of diplomatic affairs.
 

He gave Prof. Chen copies of his books, “La Patria-Canto a Nosotros Mismos,” “Memorial de La Guazabara,” and “El Trujiliicon.”
 

He also signed his name on a piece of installation art in Prof. Chen’s office, and wrote down a message for all of the members of TNUA: “El amor es la razon de vivir,” which means “Love is the reason for living.” 
 

The ambassador also invited Prof. Chen to take part in the Dominican Republic’s National Day celebrations on February 26, and a series of activities for the Cultural Week in mid-March where various types of artworks from his country will be showcased.
 

The guests of honor also visited the Gallery of TNUA History and KdMoFA. Mr. Soto Jimenez said he was impressed by the TNUA campus.
 

Caption: Mr. Jose Miguel Angel Soto Jimenez (fourth from right), the Dominican Republic ambassador to the ROC, poses for a group photo during a visit to the university on February 1. The others in the photo include: TNUA President Prof. Chen Kai-Huang (fourth from left); Prof. Guo Jau-Lan (far left), chief director of the International Exchange Center; Prof. Lin Hong-John (far right), director of KdMoFA; and Prof. Ya-Tin Lin (second from left), chairperson of IMCCI.