Tzvika Brot, Mayor of Bat Yam and Vice Chair of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, visited Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che with two other Israeli Mayors on May 12. Personnel from Tainan City Government’s Department of Information and International Relations, Environmental Protection Bureau, Bureau of Tourism, Agriculture Bureau, and Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission also attended the meeting to exchange experience in city governance, as well as to share achievements and future development directions for smart and green cities.
Mayor Huang said that Tainan is one of the earliest developed cities in Taiwan and a cultural capital with more than 400 years of history. In 2024, the city marked its important 400-year milestone. Tainan is also an important agricultural hub in Taiwan. As the city continues to develop and embrace high-tech industries, the city government is actively introducing innovative technologies and leveraging semiconductor industry supply chain advantages to build a smart and sustainable urban environment.
Mayor Huang further pointed out that balancing economic development and environmental sustainability is an important issue for cities around the world. Israel is a nation that leverages a high degree of technology to adapt to its environment. Although Tainan and cities in Israel have different development backgrounds, they share many similarities in city governance ideas and future vision. This exchange will promote further sharing of city governance experience and create more opportunities for cooperation in agriculture development, student exchanges, environmental innovation management, waste recycling, and water resource technologies.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mayor Tzvika Brot thanked Mayor Huang and the city team for their warm hospitality and said that they were impressed by the delicious delicacies and sweet fruit. He expressed that Israel and Taiwan share many common values, including democracy and supporting friends in times of difficulty. Brot invited Mayor Huang and the city team to visit Israel and looks forward to more exchanges on city governance.
This Israeli mayoral delegation was invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It comprises the Mayors of Bat Yam City, Rishon Lezion City, and Emek Hefer City. The visit mainly focused on city governance and future visions, with smart city and green city as the main themes. The delegation exchanged views with Taiwanese cities on emerging technologies and AI-based city governance, and promoted sustainable development and mutual progress through city diplomacy.