Ranked as one of the world's three major orchid shows, the Taiwan International Orchid Show is not only a major annual event in Tainan which attracts participants from all over the world and continuously creates record-breaking purchase order transaction amounts, but also a great opportunity for Tainan City to show its diplomatic soft power. Every year, Tainan City government invites foreign diplomatic and consular personnel stationed in Taipei to travel to Tainan and take part in the opening ceremony. The Orchid Show held every spring garners much praise from the foreign guests, and this year (2019), a total of twenty diplomatic and consular personnel from thirteen countries attended the Taiwan International Orchid Show opening ceremony. Many of them are regulars and great fans of the Orchid Show.
Ambassador H.E. Dilmei L. Olkeriil from Palau, a country which has official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, is a frequent participant at Tainan’s international events. She has taken part in the Tainan International Mango Festival and Taiwan International Orchid Show many times. Ambassador Olkeriil often takes family and students from Palau on private tours in Tainan and is very familiar with the city. She visited the Orchid Show consecutively for the past four years, and proclaimed during the lunch banquet that Taiwan International Orchid Show is as beautiful as heaven on earth, and the orchid industry brings happiness, peace, and love to the world.
Ambassador of Saint Christopher and Nevis H.E. Jasmine Elise Huggins is another person who supports Tainan through actions. She often participates in annual International Dragon Boat Championships and visits Taiwan International Orchid Shows. Although they were not able to attend the opening ceremony in the morning, Ambassador Huggins, Ambassador H.E. Rachel Coupaud from Haiti, and Ambassador H.E. Olga Maria Aguja from Guatemala drove themselves to Tainan to see the Taiwan International Orchid Show, showing their love of Tainan's orchids and support of Tainan's events.
Mexican Representative to Taiwan Mr. Martin Torres already had an encounter with Taiwan 44 years ago, long before he came to Taiwan in 2017 to take up his post heading the Mexican Trade Services Documentation and Cultural Office. More than four decades ago, Taiwanese artist Liang Dan-feng met the19-year-old Torres in Copenhagen, Denmark, and sketched a portrait of him. Forty-two years later, Torres was reunited with the artist in Taiwan, showing the miraculous connection Representative Torres has with this island. Mr. Torres took part in the Tainan City International Dragon Boat Championships with his wife for the first time in 2018 and was very impressed by the city. The couple was also here for the 2019 Taiwan International Orchid Show, marking their third visit to Tainan.
Hungarian Investment and Trade Director Mr. Daniel Lorincz and newly-wedded wife visited the Orchid Show together. They were still an engaged couple the first time they came here, and this year they returned as a married couple to enjoy the beautiful event.
Director General of Polish Office in Taipei Dr. Maciej Gaca and Representative of the MTC in Taipei Mr. Sergey Petrov brought their families to Tainan. They not only visited the Taiwan International Orchid Show, but also traveled around Tainan to experience the unique charm of the old city.