Secretariat, Taipei City Government

On November 13, Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang attended a signing ceremony for the sister-city joint declaration between Taipei and Basseterre, where he presented the Key to the City of Taipei to Prime Minister Terrance Drew of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. In return, Prime Minister Drew gifted a framed batik painting.

In his remarks, Chiang first thanked Prime Minister Drew for leading a delegation to Taipei from afar, especially at a time when Taiwan had just been affected by a typhoon, which evoked a sense of “an old friend arriving through wind and rain.” He also expressed his appreciation to the attending heads of diplomatic missions and to Ambassador Andrea Bowman of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their support of the sister-city agreement between Taipei and Basseterre. Chiang noted that in May of last year, Taipei established a sister-city relationship with Kingstown, the capital of Saint Vincent, and expressed hope that Taipei and the capitals of its diplomatic allies would continue to engage in friendly cooperation and open a new chapter in their relations.

Chiang mentioned that the Republic of China and the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis established diplomatic relations in 1983, marking 42 years of friendship. The sister-city agreement between the two capitals represents a significant milestone, and Chiang expressed confidence that both cities will further deepen cooperation in areas such as education, culture, commerce, tourism, and smart city development, thereby strengthening their substantive ties.

Chiang also noted that in recent years, Taipei and Saint Kitts and Nevis have engaged in various exchanges. Since taking office, Prime Minister Drew has placed strong emphasis on education and youth health development. In response, Taipei donated 50 YouBike shared bicycles to Saint Kitts and Nevis in 2023 to support local youth and international tourists in exploring the island. In addition, Saint Kitts and Nevis has actively participated in the Taipei Lantern Festival for the past 3 years by setting up themed lantern displays.

Chiang went on to mention that at the Neihu Midsummer Music Festival held this August, a dance ensemble from Saint Kitts and Nevis performed, and Ambassador Donya Lynex Francis personally took part in a traditional folk dance performance. His participation received an enthusiastic response, and he was recognized as an outstanding dancer.

Chiang expressed his belief that Taipei and Basseterre will have ample opportunities for further exchange and collaboration across various areas of municipal governance. He specifically highlighted Taipei’s initiatives such as scholarships for youth from sister cities to study Mandarin in Taipei and residency programs for artists from sister cities at the Taipei Artist Village. He extended a sincere invitation to Basseterre to actively participate in these programs and activities, thereby fostering deeper mutual exchange.