Secretariat, Taipei City Government

Commissioner Tom Chou of Taipei City Mayor’s Office for External Affairs visited Representative Bengt Carlsson at the Swedish Trade and Invest Council on November 11, 2021, to discuss a partnership based on sustainable energy and the environment.
 
Representative Carlsson expressed admiration for Taipei City’s handling of the second COVID-19 breakout in May, particularly the speed with which Mayor Ko’s press conference statements and slides were translated into English and shared with foreign agencies and major international chambers of commerce through the LINE group chats.
 
The Swedish Trade and Invest Council has typically worked with the central government and now aims to strengthen its interaction with Taipei City Government to promote trade, economic initiatives, and environmental partnerships between Sweden and Taiwan. Representative Carlsson has also accepted Commissioner Chou’s invitation to the 2022 Smart City Summit & Expo taking place in March of next year and will encourage Swedish businesses to attend.
 
The Swedish Trade and Invest Council also wishes to gain an in-depth view into Taipei City’s policies and incentive measures for startups and partner with Taipei City Government to promote bilateral exchanges within the startup industry. The Council has expressed interest in forging sister city ties between Taipei City and major Swedish cities such as Stockholm.
 
Petter Sund, Market Manager in Taiwan and Director of Commerce of the Swedish Trade and Invest Council, stated that Sweden’s success in terms of green energy, air quality, and waste disposal are highly recognized by the international community and worth considering for application within Taipei City’s green initiatives.
 
Commissioner Chou thanked Sweden for its willingness to share their experience in sustainable energy and welcomed delegations from Sweden wishing to attend the Smart City Summit next year. Taipei City Government is also willing to cooperate with the Swedish Trade and Invest Council to promote sister city relationships between Taipei City and major Swedish cities.