Secretariat, Taipei City Government

Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang hosted Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and her delegation on January 14 for a sister-city luncheon. Specifically, the two sides engaged in city-to-city talks on areas of cooperation, such as direct flights to boost tourism and industrial investment, showcasing the deep and longstanding partnership between the two cities.

Mayor Chiang stated that the Taipei and Phoenix Little League baseball teams held a friendly match yesterday, and that he and Mayor Gallego made a special visit to Xinsheng Park Baseball Field to cheer on the young players, expressing his hope that youth baseball exchanges between the two cities will continue. He also noted that the two cities share the same “DNA” in AI technology development: Phoenix has become an important “silicon desert” through the introduction of Taiwanese semiconductor investment; meanwhile, since he took office, Taipei has been committed to building an “AI-Driven Smart City”, and has recently succeeded in attracting NVIDIA to establish its overseas headquarters in Taipei. He expressed his expectation that Taipei will reach new heights in the field of AI in the future, adding that these two sister cities are akin to twin engines driving the development of the global technology economy. 

Mayor Chiang went on to note that Phoenix and Taipei have been sister cities for 47 years since the establishment of the relationship in 1979, nearly as old as he was, making this bond feel all the more precious and personal. At present, the two cities are also engaged in promoting mutual understanding among the younger generation through student exchange programs, thereby deepening the sister-city friendship. Mayor Chiang humorously remarked that Taipei’s warm and humid climate and Phoenix’s dry and hot climate make the two cities a “perfect match” for each other. He added that Taipei will always be a home in Asia for friends from Phoenix and warmly welcomed the delegation to visit again, expressing his hope that the visitors would take time to explore Taipei’s night markets and savor Taipei’s cuisine.

In response, Mayor Gallego expressed her gratitude to Mayor Chiang and the Taipei City Government for their warm hospitality. She noted that the two cities are sister cities and that both mayors are alumni of the University of Pennsylvania, which made both mayors more akin to close friends than colleagues. With the launch of STARLUX direct flights, exchanges between Taipei and Phoenix are bound to become even more frequent in the future. She further mentioned that growing investment from Taiwan in Phoenix has driven the formation of new industrial clusters and has also led to a new “baby boom,” with approximately 300 Taiwanese babies born in Phoenix this year. As her current term as mayor will conclude and she will step down thereafter, this visit may be her last trip to Taipei during her tenure. She therefore took this opportunity to express her most sincere appreciation for nearly 50 years of deep friendship with sister city Taipei and expressed her hope that the relationship between the two cities will continue to deepen and flourish.

After the remarks concluded, Mayor Chiang and Mayor Gallego exchanged commemorative gifts. Mayor Chiang presented a gift package that included a limited-edition Snoopy commemorative T-shirt and related items created for the 2026 Taipei New Year’s Eve event, as well as the picture book HEY TAIPEI, conveying Taipei City’s sincere blessings and friendship to Phoenix. In return, Mayor Gallego presented a colored glass paper crane, symbolizing blessings and good wishes and also signifying the long-lasting continuation of the sister-city friendship between the two cities.

The luncheon meeting also featured briefing sessions by representatives from both parties, during which they shared key policies and directions for urban development. Representing the Taipei City Government, Commissioner Hsiang Yu of the Department of Information and Tourism and Commissioner Chun-An Chen of the Department of Economic Development respectively presented briefings on the city’s major initiatives in tourism and industrial development. The Phoenix City Government was represented by Ryan Touhill, City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department Director, who introduced Phoenix’s current state of industrial development and the progress made with TSMC’s investment. Attending guests listened attentively and engaged in active interaction throughout the session.