Exciting Developments in City Diplomacy (TAIPEI QUARTERLY 2016 WINTER Vol.06)Post date：2017-03-10
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Presenting Taipei’s Diverse Charms to Its Sister Cities
Exciting Developments in City Diplomacy
Article‧Photos＿International Affairs Division, Secretariat, Taipei City Government
In early 2015, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je visited Taipei’s sister cities in the US and Japan to enthusiastic response. In the latter half of 2016 representatives from these cities paid a return visit to Taipei. In addition to strengthening relationships with its sister cities, Taipei was able to show off its diversity of attractions and rich culture. The hope is that more travelers will be inspired to take in the sights of Taiwan and Taipei. In the future, efforts will continue to be made to create opportunities to market Taipei and present its advantages to the world.
▲ The year 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of a sister-city agreement with Yokohama, Japan. Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi led a delegation to Taipei to celebrate this milestone. (Photo: International Affairs Division, Secretariat, Taipei City Government)
Taipei Day in Wellington – Attention Focused on Taiwan’s Capital City
Taipei Day (台北日) came about due to a visit by then Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown to the Taipei International Book Exhibition (台北國際書展) in February of 2015. While in Taipei, she signed an exchange and collaboration memorandum of understanding with Mayor Ko for the organizing of sister-city exchange activities.
▲ Wellington’s Taipei Day included a Taiwan movie screening, Taipei photography exhibition, and Taipei food festival. (Photo: International Affairs Division, Secretariat, Taipei City Government)
Taipei Day included three major events: a Taiwan movie screening, Taipei photography exhibition, and Taipei food festival. Dream Ocean (夢想海洋) was the film screened. This documentary tells the story of Su Tar-zen (蘇達貞), professor emeritus at National Taiwan Ocean University (國立臺灣海洋大學), and 16 young people from Taiwan, who designed and sailed a canoe to Yonaguni, Japan. The subject matter resonated with the New Zealand audience due to a shared love of the sea. Among those who attended the screening were Wade-Brown, members of the New Zealand Film Commission, Wellington residents, students, and Taiwanese living in the city, with every seat at the City Gallery Wellington filled. The photography exhibition was held in the lobby of the Wellington City Library. On display were 50 images representing Taipei’s characteristic cultural and scenic landscapes. Through these images, Wellington residents were able to gain a better understanding of Taipei.
The grand finale was the Taipei food festival. This opened with a lion dance performed by a youth group. Chefs from The Westin Taipei (台北威斯汀六福皇宮) volunteered their time to support this event, making use of local New Zealand ingredients to prepare such internationally recognized Taiwanese dishes as beef noodles, fried rice noodles, fried rice, and Dan Zai noodles, giving visitors a taste of authentic Taipei. The delicious food received a great response from New Zealanders, and brought the flavors of home to Taiwanese living in New Zealand.
City-Level Exchanges, Strengthening Friendships
Taipei and the US city of Phoenix, Arizona established their sister-city relationship in 1979. In March of this year Mayor Ko led a delegation to Phoenix, meeting with the city’s mayor, Greg Stanton. The two enjoyed a very friendly discussion. Stanton paid a visit to the Taipei City Government in October, signing an agreement reaffirming the sister-city relationship and highlighting the unwavering friendship between the two cities.
Phoenix is located in a dry desert area. On his first visit to Taiwan, Stanton experienced Taiwan’s sometimes abundant rainfall, which left a deep impression on him. Although the weather was not very cooperative, his cheerful mood was in no way dampened.
In addition, 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of a sister-city agreement with Yokohama, Japan. Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi led a delegation to Taipei to celebrate this milestone, and to further cement ties between the two cities. On October 21st, mayors Ko and Hayashi signed a conservation agreement between the two cities’ zoos, focused on exchange and collaboration in the areas of species conservation, population management, animal care and treatment, education, and recreation.
What is worth noting is that specific benefits and achievements come from these diplomatic visits to sister cities overseas and other city-to-city cooperation and exchanges. On November 5th and 6th of this year, the Taipei City Government cooperated for the first time with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) and various cities in the Pacific region to jointly stage the 2016 Asia-Pacific Culture Day (亞太文化日) exhibition at the Taipei railway station. The purpose of this event was to bring the public better understanding of city-to-city diplomacy. Through such cultural exhibitions, and other key city events as the upcoming 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade, the Taipei City Government hopes that the public will be energized to participate and push forward the city’s diplomacy, allowing the world not only to see Taipei, but also the beauty of all of Taiwan.
Exciting Developments in City Diplomacy
Article‧Photos＿International Affairs Division, Secretariat, Taipei City Government
In early 2015, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je visited Taipei’s sister cities in the US and Japan to enthusiastic response. In the latter half of 2016 representatives from these cities paid a return visit to Taipei. In addition to strengthening relationships with its sister cities, Taipei was able to show off its diversity of attractions and rich culture. The hope is that more travelers will be inspired to take in the sights of Taiwan and Taipei. In the future, efforts will continue to be made to create opportunities to market Taipei and present its advantages to the world.
▲ The year 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of a sister-city agreement with Yokohama, Japan. Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi led a delegation to Taipei to celebrate this milestone. (Photo: International Affairs Division, Secretariat, Taipei City Government)
Taipei Day in Wellington – Attention Focused on Taiwan’s Capital City
Taipei Day (台北日) came about due to a visit by then Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown to the Taipei International Book Exhibition (台北國際書展) in February of 2015. While in Taipei, she signed an exchange and collaboration memorandum of understanding with Mayor Ko for the organizing of sister-city exchange activities.
▲ Wellington’s Taipei Day included a Taiwan movie screening, Taipei photography exhibition, and Taipei food festival. (Photo: International Affairs Division, Secretariat, Taipei City Government)
Taipei Day included three major events: a Taiwan movie screening, Taipei photography exhibition, and Taipei food festival. Dream Ocean (夢想海洋) was the film screened. This documentary tells the story of Su Tar-zen (蘇達貞), professor emeritus at National Taiwan Ocean University (國立臺灣海洋大學), and 16 young people from Taiwan, who designed and sailed a canoe to Yonaguni, Japan. The subject matter resonated with the New Zealand audience due to a shared love of the sea. Among those who attended the screening were Wade-Brown, members of the New Zealand Film Commission, Wellington residents, students, and Taiwanese living in the city, with every seat at the City Gallery Wellington filled. The photography exhibition was held in the lobby of the Wellington City Library. On display were 50 images representing Taipei’s characteristic cultural and scenic landscapes. Through these images, Wellington residents were able to gain a better understanding of Taipei.
The grand finale was the Taipei food festival. This opened with a lion dance performed by a youth group. Chefs from The Westin Taipei (台北威斯汀六福皇宮) volunteered their time to support this event, making use of local New Zealand ingredients to prepare such internationally recognized Taiwanese dishes as beef noodles, fried rice noodles, fried rice, and Dan Zai noodles, giving visitors a taste of authentic Taipei. The delicious food received a great response from New Zealanders, and brought the flavors of home to Taiwanese living in New Zealand.
City-Level Exchanges, Strengthening Friendships
Taipei and the US city of Phoenix, Arizona established their sister-city relationship in 1979. In March of this year Mayor Ko led a delegation to Phoenix, meeting with the city’s mayor, Greg Stanton. The two enjoyed a very friendly discussion. Stanton paid a visit to the Taipei City Government in October, signing an agreement reaffirming the sister-city relationship and highlighting the unwavering friendship between the two cities.
Phoenix is located in a dry desert area. On his first visit to Taiwan, Stanton experienced Taiwan’s sometimes abundant rainfall, which left a deep impression on him. Although the weather was not very cooperative, his cheerful mood was in no way dampened.
In addition, 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of a sister-city agreement with Yokohama, Japan. Yokohama Mayor Fumiko Hayashi led a delegation to Taipei to celebrate this milestone, and to further cement ties between the two cities. On October 21st, mayors Ko and Hayashi signed a conservation agreement between the two cities’ zoos, focused on exchange and collaboration in the areas of species conservation, population management, animal care and treatment, education, and recreation.
What is worth noting is that specific benefits and achievements come from these diplomatic visits to sister cities overseas and other city-to-city cooperation and exchanges. On November 5th and 6th of this year, the Taipei City Government cooperated for the first time with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) and various cities in the Pacific region to jointly stage the 2016 Asia-Pacific Culture Day (亞太文化日) exhibition at the Taipei railway station. The purpose of this event was to bring the public better understanding of city-to-city diplomacy. Through such cultural exhibitions, and other key city events as the upcoming 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade, the Taipei City Government hopes that the public will be energized to participate and push forward the city’s diplomacy, allowing the world not only to see Taipei, but also the beauty of all of Taiwan.
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