Taiwan's Major Cities Propose Local Gov't Association
By Patrick Chen/Tiffany Wong
The governments of Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung and Taoyuan gathered with the leaders of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy to announce a new initiative for a local government association. They hope it can support cities to help each other, and also connect Taiwan's local governments with cities in other countries, as a form of diplomacy. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said that the alliance could help cities facing similar issues, like population shifts and climate change.
Standing side by side, representatives from four of Taiwan’s main cities announce a new alliance that they hope will transform local governance.
The initiative is supported by the government-funded non-profit Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, which is chaired by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu. It’s a cross-party effort designed to bridge Taiwan’s deepening political divide.
HAN KUO-YU, CHAIR, TFD; LEGISLATIVE SPEAKER (Taipei)
We hope to transcend party lines, geographical boundaries and genders, set aside our differences and convictions, and work together to establish the Taiwan Association of Local Governments.
Besides addressing coordination issues domestically, the association will also serve as a platform for local governments to engage in “city diplomacy,” connecting Taiwan with the world.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, whose ministry oversees the non-profit, also voiced his support.
LIN CHIA-LUNG, VICE CHAIR, TFD; FOREIGN MINISTER (Taipei)
The foreign ministry has been promoting “integrated diplomacy.” This includes city diplomacy and NGO diplomacy. If we can establish a headquarters here, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy can serve as an important platform for exchanges on global democratic governance.
The foundation said similar local government alliances already exist in countries like Japan, South Korea and the United States. It said Taiwan’s new association could work with them in the future.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said the alliance could help cities facing similar challenges.
CHIANG WAN-AN, TAIPEI MAYOR (Taipei)
Challenges such as building resilience to extreme weather, declining birth rates and an aging population, as well as new governance models and industrial transformation brought about by AI, are no longer challenges a city can tackle alone.
For now, the alliance includes Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, and Taoyuan. But the local leaders gathered here hope their group can soon expand to include all the cities and counties across Taiwan.
