The Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs hosted the 2026 Lunar New Year Gala for International Students, themed “Galloping into the New Year” (「躍馬奔騰迎新春」) at 6:30 p.m. on January 9 in the banquet hall on the first floor of the Golden Tulip FAB Hotel Taipei. President Huan-Chao Keh, along with three vice presidents, Hui-Huang Hsu, Chun-Hung Lin, and Hsiao-Chuan Chen, senior administrators, Tsai Meng-Chieh, Section Chief of the Department of Hong Kong, Macao, Mongolia and Tibet Affairs of the Mainland Affairs Council, and Li-Jen Hsu, Section Chief of the Cultural and Educational Affairs Department of the Straits Exchange Foundation, attended the event, celebrating the Lunar New Year with 250 faculty members and students.

In his remarks, President Keh first expressed gratitude to all sectors for their long-standing support of international student affairs and the development of international exchange at Tamkang University, as well as to the staff of the Office of International and Cross-Strait Affairs for their continued dedication to student guidance and welfare, ensuring that students can pursue their studies with peace of mind. He noted that over the past three years, the number of international students at Tamkang University has consistently exceeded 1,400. Students from around the world learning and interacting on campus represent a key achievement in the university’s internationalization efforts. He encouraged students to broaden their horizons in a multicultural environment, continue strengthening their professional skills in the new year, and look confidently toward the future, concluding with Lunar New Year wishes to all international students.

Meng-Chieh Tsai affirmed Tamkang University’s commitment to caring for international students and advancing internationalization, conveying early New Year greetings on behalf of the government and wishing everyone a happy New Year and academic success. He also noted that in recent years, the government has introduced various supporting measures to help overseas Chinese and Hong Kong–Macao students remain in Taiwan for career development after graduation, expressing hope that students can study with peace of mind in Taiwan and gradually realize their life plans.

The celebration opened "with a traditional lion dance accompanied by drums and gongs," whose powerful rhythms and enthusiastic cheers from the audience filled the venue with festive spirit. This was followed by a series of performances by international students, including Indonesian students singing “Young and Beautiful,” “A Whole New World,” and “I Have Nothing”; the group “Malaysian Boys” performing “Just Believe”; Paraguayan students presenting “Paraguayan Watercolor” to showcase Latin American musical flair; and performances by students from Hong Kong and Malaysia singing “My Heart Will Go On,” “Sweet,” and “Firework.” These performances highlighted the students’ diverse cultural backgrounds and talents, drawing continuous applause and creating a lively atmosphere.

Toward the end of the event, administrators and guests went table to table, distributing red envelopes to extend New Year wishes to the students. Three rounds of lucky draws were also held, featuring numerous prizes. The highlight came when President Keh drew the grand prize—a NT$6,000 red envelope—bringing the excitement to its peak. The evening concluded with the Malaysian Student Association leading the audience in singing the festive song “Dreams in Motion,” bringing the gala to a warm and joyful close.

Pham Dieu Linh, a sophomore from the Department of Public Administration, shared that although she did not win a prize in the raffle, she was still very happy to participate in the Lunar New Year gala. She enjoyed meeting friends from different backgrounds and was very satisfied with the food served at the banquet. She noted that the most memorable part was the series of student performances, especially the Malaysian student Roger Han’s lively rendition of Jay Chou’s “Sweet,” whose upbeat style and enthusiastic interaction with the audience made the atmosphere even more festive. “It really felt like celebrating the New Year,” she said, “and it left me with wonderful memories.”