Secretariat, Taipei City Government

Today (October 11), Taipei City officially established a friendly city relationship with Matsuyama, Japan. Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang attended the ceremony in person and, with Matsuyama Mayor Katsuhito Noshi, signed the friendly city agreement, marking a crucial milestone in the friendship between the two cities. Moving forward, both cities will deepen cooperation across various fields.

Chiang highlighted that this year (2024) marks the 10th anniversary of the friendly exchange agreement between Taipei and Matsuyama. Over the past decade, the two cities have engaged in numerous exchanges in areas such as tourism, culture, education, and arts, achieving fruitful results. Chiang expressed his gratitude for Matsuyama’s active participation in numerous events, especially during the Taipei Lantern Festival, the International Dragon Boat Championships, the Dadaocheng Fireworks Festival, the Taipei Marathon, and the Beitou Hot Spring Season. The enthusiastic involvement of Taipei’s friends from Matsuyama has strengthened the bond between the two cities.

Chiang remarked that he has met with Mayor Noshi on numerous occasions, and their relationship has grown as familiar and cordial as that of old friends. Chiang emphasized that formalizing the friendly city relationship between Taipei and Matsuyama and enhancing their existing foundation of goodwill is crucial. Moving forward, Taipei and Matsuyama will expand their cooperation to youth exchanges, technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Chiang specifically highlighted youth exchanges, noting that this initiative had led to the establishment of a sister-school relationship between University of Taipei and Ehime University, demonstrating the two cities’ desire to deepen their exchanges and extend their friendship to the next generation over the next 20 to 30 years. He also observed that should the opportunity arise for him to visit Matsuyama in the future, he plans to do so, bringing his family with him.

In conclusion, Chiang expressed special thanks to Taipei City Council Speaker Tai Hsi-chin for his support for the formalization of the friendly city agreement. He noted that without Tai’s assistance, the partnership would not have been realized so smoothly. The signing of this agreement marks a new stage for Taipei and Matsuyama, with both cities committed to continuing their cooperation in various fields and jointly promoting prosperity and development.