Secretariat, Taipei City Government

A delegation of the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, which comprised Representative Vu Tien Dung, Deputy Representative Ngo Phuong Thao, and Head of Economy and Investment Le Quang Tuan, visited Mayor Wan-An Chiang and a delegation of Taipei City Government on August 18 to discuss various municipal issues.

Mayor Chiang welcomed the Vietnamese delegation and expressed his gratitude to the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei for its continual participation in the Taipei Water Lantern Festival. He hoped that Representative Vu would provide assistance to strengthen exchanges between Taipei City and various cities in Vietnam. Representative Vu indicated that Taiwan and Vietnam have maintained representative offices in each other’s cities for over 30 years, engaged in long-term cooperation and exchanges in the fields of economy and trade, and formed a close relationship. He highlighted that an increasing number of Taiwanese businessmen are investing in Vietnam, citing the fact that their total investments in Vietnam in the first half of 2023 have already exceeded their total investments in Vietnam in the entirety of 2022. 

Mayor Chiang stated that in addition to economy and trade, Taiwan and Vietnam also share a strong bond in terms of tourism exchanges. He mentioned that he has visited Vietnam multiple times and expressed the hope for increased tourism exchanges with Vietnam in the future. Mayor Chiang discussed several famous local attractions, such as Maokong, Yangmingshan, and Taipei 101, and popular cuisines in Taipei city to extend a warm invitation to Vietnamese tourists to visit Taiwan. In response, Representative Vu pointed out the frequent exchanges between Taiwan and Vietnam and their similar cultures and lifestyles. With approximately 100 flights currently flying between Taiwan and Vietnam every week, Representative Vu expected tourism between the two countries to flourish in the future. 

Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development, Chun-an Chen, added that Taipei City Government’s delegations visited Thailand and Malaysia this year to hold promotional activities and engage in technology- and product-related collaborations and exchanges. He hoped that Taipei City Government can also visit Vietnam for exchanges next year. Representative Vu welcomed the initiative and was open to discussing plans for future cooperation and exchanges between Taipei City and Vietnam. Mayor Chiang mentioned that many Vietnamese people are currently residing in Taiwan and that approximately 7,000 of them are residing in Taipei City. Taipei City Government has established a comprehensive care and counseling system specifically for new immigrants and foreign workers, and it will continue to assist in protecting and maintaining their rights and interests. Representative Vu expressed his gratitude, highlighting Taipei City Government’s attentive care for the Vietnamese community in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed youth entrepreneurship, talent exchanges, smart city implementation, and cultural cooperation. Mayor Chiang concluded by sharing his love for Vietnamese cuisine, particularly pho. The meeting attendees discussed other restaurants and dishes, such as banh mi and Vietnamese spring roll, and concluded the meeting on a friendly and relaxed note.