Secretariat, Taipei City Government

The vice president of the French Senate's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Armed Forces, Olivier Cadic, visited the Taipei City Government (TCG) to meet with Taipei City Mayor Wan-An Chiang on September 21. Cadic was joined by a delegation of eight members of the French Office in Taipei, including the office’s new director Franck Paris. The two sides exchanged ideas on topics related to city governance during the meeting.

Mayor Chiang started by extending a warm welcome to Cadic for visiting Taiwan. He expressed his wish for Cadic to explore Taipei during this trip and congratulated Paris on becoming the new director of the French Office in Taipei. Mayor Chiang continued by expressing his appreciation for France’s long-term support of and close collaborations with Taipei City in various areas, such as smart city development, education, innovative industry development, trade, and culture. For example, since 2016, Taipei City and the French Office in Taipei have been jointly holding the Nuit Blanche event, which is an event designed to transform the city into a space for night-time art exhibitions. The eighth edition of the event is scheduled to be held on the first weekend of October 2023. The Lycée International Français de Taipei (LIFT) is another example, being a collaboration between the two sides aimed at addressing the needs of French parents in Taipei City regarding their children’s education.

Cadic reciprocated by thanking Mayor Chiang for making the time to meet with him and the delegation. He highlighted that Taiwan’s rank in the global rankings for merchandise trade had risen to 16th place and expected Taiwan to surpass France within the next few years. He expressed his hope for Taiwan’s continued economic development as well as his delight at witnessing the opening of the LIFT in Taipei City and the support from all political parties on both sides in the establishment of the LIFT, which represented a positive development in the bilateral relations between France and Taiwan. Cadic also considered the LIFT as a symbol of the relationship between France and Taiwan; its establishment is a result of the Taipei City Mayor’s leadership, the support of TCG and the French Office in Taipei, and the input of French people in Taiwan. The school can also be a conduit for cultural exchanges and integration between the two countries. Cadic emphasized his desire to see the continued growth and expansion of exchanges and collaborations between Taiwan and France in the field of education during his future trip to Taiwan.

Mayor Chiang mentioned that his 2010 visit to Paris inspired him to introduce the concept of bicycle-sharing services in Taiwan. He continued by discussing the 15-minute city concept introduced by the mayor of Paris and said that it aligns with Taipei City’s current efforts to build a sustainable city and achieve net-zero emissions. Mayor Chiang also said that TCG is working on its own 15-minute city plan by offering various public services within walking or cycling distance. He also stressed that TCG will continue to provide support and assistance to French people living in Taipei City, thereby making it an attractive city for foreigners to live in.