今天早上得知我的好友和知名學者容安瀾(右一)過世的消息，我非常地難過。Alan是位傑出的外交官，他在1960年代展開外交生涯，主要以東亞為主。他曾任國務院負責政策規劃的首席副主任、掌管公共事務的首席副助理國務卿、以及國務院副發言人。他也曾於國安會服務。近年來，他在華府智庫史汀生中心擔任東亞項目的主任，尤其側重台灣的外交關係。我很高興他2016年5月能以美國祝賀團成員的身分來到台北，參加蔡總統的就職典禮，這可以說讓他在台的經歷更完整圓滿，因為他曾以美國海軍軍官的身分在高雄兩年，也曾在台中學中文。從我進國務院開始，他就一直是我的導師。當我得知自己將成為AIT處長時，我首先請益的人就是他，因為我知道他的聰明才智、建議忠告和風趣幽默總是讓我受益良多。天底下恐怕再也找不到像他這麼棒的人了。珍重再見，Alan！台灣會思念你的，我也是！ --- 梅健華 #FromAITDirector
This morning I was saddened by the news that my dear friend Alan Romberg (first from the right) had died. Alan was an extraordinary Foreign Service Officer whose career focus was East Asia, beginning in the 1960s. He was the Principal Deputy Director of the State Department's Policy Planning staff, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Deputy Spokesman of the department. He also served in the National Security Council. In recent years, Alan was co-director of the East Asia program at the Stimson Center with a special focus on Taiwan’s foreign relations. I was so pleased when he came to Taipei in May 2016 as part of the U.S. delegation to President Tsai’s inauguration. In a way, he had come full circle. He was a U.S. naval officer for two years in Kaohsiung and studied Mandarin in Taichung. Since the early days of my career, Alan had been a mentor of mine. He was one of the first people I reached out to when I learned I was coming out to be Director of AIT because I always knew I could depend on him for keen intellect, sound advice, and good humor. A more decent man, you will never meet. Farewell, Alan. Taiwan will miss you and so will I…km
