Former AIT Director William A. Stanton (Tenure: 2009 ~ 2012)

Updated: December 2011

Bill Stanton assumed his position as Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on August 28, 2009. The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 designated AIT as the organization responsible for conducting commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan.

Mr. Stanton previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission to both the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea (2006-09) and the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, Australia (2003-06). During the latter assignment, he served some 23 months as Chargé d’affaires ad interim. His other Asia-related experience included two assignments at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, including one as Minister Counselor for Political Affairs; as Deputy Director for the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs; and as Special Assistant for East Asia and Pacific Affairs for the Under Secretary for Political Affairs. Mr. Stanton received two years of Mandarin training, including a year of language studies at AIT.

During his 33-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Stanton has also served as Director of the Office of Egyptian and North African Affairs; Director of the Office of UN Political Affairs; Political-Military Affairs Officer in Embassy Islamabad; Country Officer for Lebanon; Staff Assistant for the Assistant Secretary for Near East and South Asian Affairs; Watch Officer in the Department of State Operations Center; and Consular and Political Officer at Embassy Beirut. His training assignments included participation in the Senior Seminar and Senior Training at the Hoover Institute in Stanford, California. Mr. Stanton has received three Superior Honor Awards, one Superior Group Award, and several performance awards. In 2011, he received the Charles E. Cobb Award for Initiative and Success in Trade Promotion. He holds the rank of Minister Counselor.

Mr. Stanton earned a B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Fordham University in New York and an M.A. and a Ph.D. (1978) in English literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which he attended on a National Defense Education Act Fellowship. He also spent a year studying at Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany.

List of the AIT Director Stanton’s Speeches and Remarks (Archives)

Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at AIT Independence Day Reception

OT-1205E | Date: 07/03/2012 The people of Taiwan know how precious freedom is and it is the fundamental shared value that brings together Americans and Taiwanese.
Energizing the Green Revolution Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at 2011 U.S.-Taiwan Clean Energy Forum October 25, 2011

OT-1118E | Date: 10/25/2011 It is possible to develop new, clean forms of energy that help reduce carbon footprint while also increasing our prosperity.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at Opening Ceremony of “Dr. Sun Yat-sen and the United States” Exhibit

OT-1112E | Date: 7/5/2011 Dr. Sun and President Lincoln had a very clear idea of freedom and democracy. They both understood that government must come from the people and must serve the interests of the people.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at AIT Independence Day Reception on July 1, 2011

OT-1111E | Date: 7/5/2011 It is an honor for me to be in a great democracy like Taiwan as we celebrate the 4th of July. For more than 60 years, the people of Taiwan and the U.S. have worked and prospered together.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at the 2011 American Chamber of Commerce in Kaohsiung “Ying Chun Yan” March 17, 2011

OT-1105E | Date: 4/06/2011 With the historic merger of Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County, I see greater opportunities ahead for U.S. economic cooperation with southern Taiwan.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at the 2011 American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei “Hsieh Nien Fan.”

OT-1104E | Date: 3/10/2011 The U.S.-Taiwan economic relationship encompasses much more than beef. Our overall bilateral relationship encompasses more than trade.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at Straits Exchange Foundation 20th Anniversary Symposium March 8, 2011

OT-1103E | Date: 3/08/2011 We especially have welcomed the progress of the past three years and we will continue to support increased cross-Strait dialogue.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at Opening Ceremony of “American Footsteps in Taiwan, 1950-1980”

OT-1031E | Date: 12/17/2010 Taiwan people often say “Footprints in the sand surely show where you have been.” With this exhibit, “American Footsteps in Taiwan,” we try to tell the story of our relationship with Taiwan through the “footsteps.”
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at 2010 U.S.-Taiwan Clean Energy Forum Kaohsiung, Taiwan December 14, 2010

OT-1030E | Date: 12/14/2010 I am honored to have the opportunity to make remarks at the first ever U.S.-Taiwan Clean Energy Forum.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at the 2010 International Workshop on Strategies for Combating Human Trafficking September 1, 2010

OT-1021E | Date: 9/03/2010 I am pleased to be here today with Minister Kao and Director-General Hsieh to welcome all of you who have worked tirelessly to combat trafficking in persons, to bring to justice those who profit from forced labor and sexual exploitation, and to protect and help those who are either victims or potential victims of trafficking.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton AIT Independence Day Reception July 2, 2010

OT-1019E | Date: 7/6/2010 On behalf of everyone at the American Institute in Taiwan I would like to welcome you here today to celebrate together with us the 234th birthday of the United States of America.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at the 2010 International Conference on Homeland Security April 28, 2010

OT-1011E | Date: 04/28/2010 Mr. President, Premier Wu, Representative Imai of Japan, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at the 2010 American Chamber of Commerce in Kaohsiung “Ying Chun Yan” April 15, 2010

OT-1009E | Date: 04/19/2010 Good evening! As you know, AmCham Taipei has a wonderful tradition each year called Hsieh Nien Fan. One month ago, I had the pleasure of attending the 2010 Hsieh Nien Fan along with President Ma Ying-jeou…
U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Bilateral Cooperation in Meeting Global Challenges Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton

OT-1008E | Date: 3/25/2010 I would like to thank Commonwealth Publishing Group Founder and Chairman Professor Charles Kao for the opportunity to speak on the important, but seldom noted, topic of U.S.-Taiwan cooperation on global issues…
Remarks by AIT Director William Stanton at the 2010 American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei “Hsieh Nien Fan” on March 16, 2010

OT-1006E | Date: 3/17/2010 Alan, thank you for your kind introduction. I am very honored to take part in this evening’s Hsieh-Nien-Fan — a great Taipei tradition — and would like to express AIT’s appreciation for AmCham’s many years of dedicated support for building a stronger U.S.-Taiwan economic relationship…
AIT Director William A. Stanton Press Conference

OT-0919E | Date: 10/22/2009 Da jia hao. I have been here about eight weeks now, and when I first arrived, I said I’d be meeting with you once I had a chance to familiarize myself again with Taiwan and to get around and talk to people…
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at Welcome Reception

OT-0918E | Date: 10/16/2009 Good evening! I am honored by the presence of so many distinguished guests here, who have each made important contributions to U.S.-Taiwan relations…
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at Taipei American School

OT-0917E | Date: 9/25/2009
Remarks by AIT Director William A. Stanton at Grand Re-Opening of Sun Yat-Sen America Center

OT-0916E | Date: 9/18/2009
William A. Stanton, Director of The Taipei Office of the American Institute In Taiwan – Arrival Statement

OT-0915E | Date: 8/28/2009