Secretariat, Taipei City Government

Vu Tien Dung, the new representative of the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, led a three-person group in visiting mayor Ko Wen-je on February 21. To show respect, Mayor Ko personally greeted the visitors with Tom Chou, Commissioner of Mayor’s Office for External Affairs. At the opening, Mayor Ko stated that Vietnam is a major economic and trade partner to Taiwan and has sent many migrant workers and immigrants to Taiwan, and people from Taiwan and Vietnam have interacted closely. Mayor Ko expressed that he looks forward to reinforcing the city exchange between Taipei City and Vietnam.
 
Representative Vu, a career diplomat that has worked as the director of the Northeast Asia division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam, came to Taipei City to learn Mandarin 25 years prior to the visit. He is fluent in Mandarin and has been stationed in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Beijing. He expressed that his main responsibility is to strengthen the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Vietnam. He expressed his gratitude to Mayor Ko for taking care of the Vietnamese citizens in Taipei City and looks forward to Taipei City Government’s continuing to support and help Vietnamese citizens.
 
Mayor Ko expressed his appreciation of Representative Vu’s fluent Mandarin and proposed three suggestions on their future cooperation: (1) Labor shortage is severe in the Taiwanese industries, particularly the construction industry, and requires urgent solution. (2) Taipei City is actively promoting cultural diversity and welcomes the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei to cohost cultural exhibitions and performance events with Taipei City Government, which are best promoted as annual events similar to the German Oktoberfest. (3) Taiwanese businesspeople require assistance in investing in Vietnam.
 
Representative Vu agreed with Mayor Ko. Regarding the labor shortage in Taiwan, Vu proposed that Taiwan assist Vietnam in training fundamental and advanced workforces, benefitting both countries. On the cohosting of cultural exhibitions and performance events, Vu expressed that cohosting these events with Taipei City government is especially meaningful this year, which marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s and Vietnam’s establishment of offices in each other. Regarding economic investments, Vu indicated Taiwan’s tremendous advantages in high technology, agriculture, environmental protection, and medicine and expressed hopes for Mayor Ko to assist in the introduction of investment experts.
 
Mayor Ko responded by saying that Taipei City has conducted information and communications technology and textile professional training programs. Through collaboration with industries and academia, Taipei City Government has trained university students from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines to seek employment in Taiwan or in their home countries as exceptional young talents after graduation.
 
Many matters were discussed in this lively meeting. Commissioner Chou suggested the Taipei City Government schedule another bilateral meeting with Vu’s representative team for further discussions on the issues of concern for both Taipei City and Vietnam. Mayor Ko said that Taipei City has performed outstandingly in new industries and currently hosts 15 startup hubs, which Vu’s representative team is welcomed to visit. Vu expressed his high interest in visiting the hubs and looks forward to conducting the exchange as soon as possible.