The U.S. Young Leaders Delegation, which is composed of 12 young US House of Representatives members and city councilors, visited the Tainan City Hall today (Apr. 17). The delegation was received by Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, Department of Information and International Relations Director-General Su En-en, and Tourism Bureau Director Lin Kuo-hua. Both parties discussed issues related to municipal administrative business and tourism.
Mayor Huang Wei-che expressed that he is honored to welcome the visitors during the year of Tainan 400. As Taiwan’s oldest city, Tainan is famous for its delicacies and snacks and is also known as the Capital of the gods since the city has over 1,000 temples. Huang pointed out that Tainan is an important development site of TSMC’s 3nm semiconductor advanced process and these industry developments bring a new technology aspect into the ancient capital. Since the Taiwan-US relationship has become closer in recent years, he looks forward to working with political leaders throughout the US and boosting interactions between Tainan and the respective US states.
Ms. Cristina Shannin Parajón, Representative for House District 25, New Mexico, shared that she is the first Taiwanese-American Representative of her State, her grandmother was from Tainan, and her mother’s maiden name is Zhang Jian. Although she and her mother were both born in the United States, she recalls many happy summer breaks in Tainan. She also wore her grandmother’s jacket specifically for today’s visit. Parajón went on to mention that her grandmother told her that Taiwan treasures values such as diligence and freedom, and these shared values between Taiwan and the US are the concepts that she and her colleagues are realizing through their political careers.
During the meeting, the participants talked about issues related to the industries and urban transportation. Mayor Huang Wei-che answered the guests’ questions and said that the motto “Do better, live better” in the conference room is his central idea for running the city. Representative Parajón also shared her experience interacting with Tainan's shop owners. She is impressed by the locals’ hard-working spirit and enthusiasm and looks forward to visiting Tainan again.
The U.S. Young Leaders Delegation comprises young political leaders from different States recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices throughout the US. This is their first visit to Taiwan for most of the members save for Representative Parajón, and they look forward to observing and learning about the political and economic progress in Taiwan. The delegation plans to stay in Tainan for two days. In addition to the Tainan City Hall, they will also visit the Anping Fort, Southern Taiwan Science Park, and other sites.