In 1996, while Taiwan held its first direct presidential election under the threat of Chinese missile tests, the Mazu icon from Hsinkang was taken around the Penghu Islands to protect the Taiwan Strait. Now the Mazu icon has made another long trip, this time to New York to help in Taiwan's bid to join the UN.
1996 年，台灣舉辦首次總統直選、對岸中國以飛彈演習恫嚇時，「新港媽」曾經坐船出巡澎湖、鎮守台灣海峽；這次為了爭取入聯，「新港媽」又萬里迢迢，赴紐約踩街出巡。