Colorado says goodbye this week to an extraordinary advocate for Taiwan, Shirley Chang, who works for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver.

Among the office’s duties is the promotion of cooperation in trade, investment, culture, education and tourism between Taiwan and the six U.S. states in its jurisdiction.

Consular Chang works alongside Director General Jerry Chang. (They’re not related. Chang in Taiwan is like Johnson in North Dakota.)

The pair did a tremendous job in building relationships in Colorado. They recently attended the swearing-in for Aurora’s new mayor and the retirement for the longtime Greenwood Village mayor.

Chang and Chang regularly met with Colorado state lawmakers and members of Congress.

I met the Changs when I worked for Secretary of State Wayne Williams. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office invited us to a variety of events in the metro area.

Party didn’t matter. The pair worked as closely with Ian Silverii, director of the liberal group Progress Now, as with Colorado U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican revered in the Taiwan community for his devotion to the democratic country.

Silverii and other nonprofit young leaders from across the country were invited to visit Taiwan in 2017.

“I developed a lifelong obsession with oolong tea and discovered a common cause with Cory Gardner,” Silverii said. “We both believe Taiwan is a magical country.”

And both Gardner and Silverii are fans of Shirley Chang and Jerry Chang.

“She brought an incredible level of exposure for Taiwan to Colorado, and has opened up opportunities for both Colorado and Taiwan,” Gardner said.

People who work for their governments are used to making sacrifices, particularly those stationed overseas.

Shirley Chang started her job in Denver almost four years ago. During that time, her husband has lived with her in Colorado for less than two years. They have two children, a daughter, now 5, and a son, now 7. Her daughter has lived in Denver for all but half a year, but the boy has returned to Taiwan frequently to live with his father.

Chang was excited that her husband and son were flying to Denver on Dec. 31 and the family would fly together back to Taiwan on Jan. 9. She will work for her employer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, handling protocol for high-level guests.

She said she will miss Colorado — particularly the people, open space and what she called “the air.” Taiwan is hot and humid.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends, not just in Colorado, but with legislators from other states. We follow each other on Facebook,” she said.

Chang also praised the local Taiwanese community for its “warmth.” Many volunteered to watch her kids in their homes if something came up.

Shirley Chang’s successor, Leanne Kao, most recently was stationed in Australia and saw firsthand the effects of fires there. Kao, who once worked in New York City, no doubt will carry on the excellent work of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver, which covers Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Former Greenwood Village Mayor Ron Rakowsky said Taiwan’s lack of consulate offices in the United States makes the work of Jerry Chang and Shirley Chang even more important and impressive. Their office also handles passports, visa requests and such.

“I think Shirley displays a true partnership role with Jerry,” he said. “Their acceptance in this community is a testament of her professionalism.”

One of the Denver office’s big events every year is Double Ten Day. Oct. 10 is the anniversary of an uprising that led to the overthrow of dynastic rule in China and the establishment of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, who represented Colorado’s 6th District in Congress until January, regularly attended the Double Ten celebrations, where he greeted the guests in Chinese.

Coffman has long had a personal connection with the state’s Chinese community. Coffman’s parents met in China, when his father served in the U.S. military and his mother lived in the French section of Shanghai.

“Shirley will be missed by all of us who have worked closely with the TECO office,” Coffman said. “She has been an extraordinary asset in helping to create stronger ties between Colorado and Taiwan. I wish her all the best in her next assignment.”

As for the director general, Jerry Chang likely will learn where he is going to be transferred after Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 11. The incumbent, President Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party, is running for a second term. Two candidates are running against her.

He and Shirley Chang arrived in Denver almost at the same time.

“I am going to miss her a lot,” he said. “She has made tremendous contributions to this office. She was a junior officer when she started here and I am proud of the progress she has made.”

When told that Jerry Chang said great things about her, Shirley Chang texted back, “Of course he should. Ha Ha,” and included a smiling emoji.

I only recently checked out Shirley Chang’s LinkedIn page. Before going to work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she worked as a spokeswoman for the government information office. And that was after a career as a reporter, including for Voice of America in Washington, D.C.

Now I like her even more.

Lynn Bartels can be reached at againlynn@gmail.com.