The EVIP-G delegation visited Tainan City Government today (Aug. 22) and was welcomed by Deputy Mayor Dr. Chien Tai on behalf of the Mayor. Bureau of Urban Development Director General Chuang Te-Liang and Department of Information and International Relations Deputy Director General Lin Jian-Xian were also present. The City Government team gave a brief presentation on Tainan and then both parties had lively discussions about local elections and city governance.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che thanked the delegation for visiting Taiwan despite pressure from China. The Mayor expressed that more and more countries recognize Taiwan’s democratic values and are showing their support for Taiwan. Even strong opposition from China cannot stop our international friends who share the same values as us from visiting Taiwan. Huang also thanked Slovakian parliamentarian Miroslav Žiak for showing his support for Taiwan’s democracy on his public Facebook page when US Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.
During the presentation, Deputy Mayor Chien Tai shared that Tainan used to be the capital of Taiwan and is known for its rich history and culture. The smart city is now home to Southern Taiwan Science Park and many technology parks which provide abundant industry strength. Dai later gifted the guests Tainan’s in-season pomelos on behalf of the Mayor and recommended that the delegation must sample Tainan’s agricultural products and delicacies while they are here.
Slovakian parliamentarian Miroslav Žiak remarked that he is impressed by the rule-abiding citizens and how organized the city is governed. He pointed out that since Taiwan and Slovakia are both situated close to strong powers, the two countries share similar international situations. The Taiwanese people are kind and diligent workers, and Žiak is happy to speak up for them on the international stage.
Richárd Barabás, Deputy Mayor of Újbuda (District XI) in Budapest, Hungary, said that currently the world is faced with threats caused by unstable geopolitics. People from different cultures can only overcome the challenges by understanding each other. During this visit, he experienced firsthand the quality and open-mindedness of Taiwan’s people. He believes that this will be the start of a wonderful friendship between Europe and Taiwan.
Initiated by the Executive Yuan, the EVIP-G Project aims to fortify support for Taiwan among European professionals. This delegation consisted of eleven visitors from the EU, France, Hungary, Slovakia, and the UK. Most of them have never visited Taiwan before. In addition to visiting Tainan City Government, the group also experienced Tainan’s culture and history through tours of Chihkan Tower, Confucius Temple, Tiangong Temple, and Hayashi Department Store.