MUNCIE, Ind. - Twenty years ago Ball State University political scientist Teh-Kuang Chang became a matchmaker and helped to form a sisterhood between Taiwan and Indiana.

"Governor Otis Bowen and (General Assembly) Speaker Robert Orr signed an agreement for a sisterhood between Indiana and Taiwan making Indiana the first state in the United States to set up a sisterhood with Taiwan," Chang said.

Then-congressmen Lee Hamilton and Dan Quayle and senators Richard Lugar and Birch Bayh, father of current senator Evan Bayh, supported Taiwan by voting for the U.S.-Taiwan Relations Act.

"Since then, Indiana has had a very good relationship with Taiwan," Chang said. "Taiwan sent delegations to purchase agricultural products from Indiana."

With Chang's help, the city of Muncie set up a sisterhood with Chang-Hua county as a foundation for the sisterhood between Indiana and Taiwan. Muncie mayors Alan Wilson and Jim Carey, along with Chang, visited Taiwan. Magistrate Huang Shih-Cheng of Chang-Hua county visited Muncie twice to promote friendship and economic interests of both sides.

With a newly elected president in Taiwan, Chang hopes that the special relationship between Indiana and Taiwan will continue.

"I hope the friendship tie can be prolonged under the new leadership and that we can celebrate the anniversary." he said.

By Roseanne Durril, Graduate Assistant

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Chang by phone (765) 285-8780 or by fax 765-285-8980.)