Taipei [Taiwan], November 28 (ANI): Taiwan's Veterans Affairs Council (VAC) on Friday appointed the country's first-ever representative in the US in a bid to strengthen bilateral exchanges on veterans issues, the head of the council said Friday.

As reported by Focus Taiwan, retired Major General Ni Bang-Chen has been appointed as VAC's representative to the US and he will leave Taiwan for his new post on Jan. 1, 2022.

After his appointment, VAC Chief Feng Shih-Kuan said that a long-term representative in the US will help foster more bilateral exchanges and build an official connection with America's Department of Veterans Affairs.

As reported by Focus Taiwan, during a meeting with members of a US congressional delegation, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen had also announced the plan, saying that "veterans affairs is one area in which Taiwan and the US have enjoyed particularly close cooperation over the past few years.""It will help us better coordinate and expand their exchanges in health insurance, quality health care, employment assistance and long-term care for veterans," Tsai said.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is an agency of the federal government that provides benefits, health care and cemetery services to military Veterans.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a cabinet-level official, is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. VA is the federal government's second-largest department after the Department of Defense, US Department of Veteran Affairs informed.

VA employs nearly 280,000 people at hundreds of VA medical facilities, clinics, and benefits offices and is responsible for administering benefits programs for Veterans, their families and survivors. (ANI)