Secretariat, Taipei City Government

Taipei City Deputy Mayor Wen-Te Chang led a delegation to Europe from June 30 to July 5, 2025, representing Mayor Wan-An Chiang at the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum in Vienna. The first stop of the visit was Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where Deputy Mayor Chang and Mayor Matej Vagač of Bratislava Old Town signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate cooperation between the two cities on municipal affairs such as urban renewal, environmental protection, and culture.

The Taipei City delegation of nine arrived at the Vienna International Airport early in the morning of June 30 and immediately traveled to Bratislava. Representatives from Taipei and Bratislava Old Town gathered at the Zichy Palace, a historical site constructed in the late 18th century, where the MoU signing ceremony took place in the presence of Nan-Yang Lee, representative of the Taipei Representative Office in Slovakia; and Slovak National Council Member Dana Kleinert. The ceremony was simple yet solemn.

Deputy Mayor Chang indicated that through this MoU, the two cities would engage in concrete exchanges and cooperation in fields such as urban renewal, environmental protection, culture, transportation, sustainability, smart cities, investment, trade, tourism, and innovative industries, yielding mutual benefits for their citizens. He also expressed his hopes to further deepen Taiwan–Slovakia bilateral relations and foster lasting friendship between Taipei and Bratislava Old Town, as well as between Taiwan and Slovakia. 

Mayor Vagač warmly welcomed the Taipei delegation and highlighted the longstanding relationship between the two cities that is grounded in shared values: a commitment to freedom and democracy, the promotion of cultural exchanges, and a common goal of improving the quality of life of citizens. He noted that this was not merely the beginning of cooperation but rather a mature and enduring partnership based on trust, shared values, and mutual cultural respect.

Mayor Vagač observed that the MoU provides a framework for more extensive future cooperation between the two cities in multiple areas, from the exchange of public governance experiences to urban resilience projects, sustainable transportation and environment, innovative development, smart solutions, and cultural promotion. He expressed particular appreciation for the inspiration that Taipei has brought to Bratislava Old Town in these fields, from its innovative approaches in public governance to applications of smart city technology or the city’s ability to seamlessly integrate modern technology with cultural heritage. In addition to Mayor Vagač, the Bratislava Old Town delegation at the meeting and signing ceremony included 10 city government members, such as National Council Member (and former Deputy Mayor of Bratislava Old Town) Dana Kleinert and Deputy Secretaries General Petra Helt and Marcel Varenits. Following the ceremony, Mayor Vagač hosted a welcome banquet for Deputy Mayor Chang and his delegation, where the two sides dined in a warm and cordial atmosphere. 

The signing of this MoU was made possible by an exchange in March of this year, when Bratislava Old Town Deputy Mayor Erik Illéš led a delegation to Taipei to attend the Smart City Summit & Expo and paid a courtesy visit to the Taipei City Government, during which the two sides reached a preliminary consensus on future cooperation. After close communication, Taipei arranged a return visit, and in little more than 3 months, the two cities signed the MoU, demonstrating their strong commitment to proactive collaboration. 

With the assistance of the Taipei Representative Office in Slovakia, Deputy Mayor Chang and his delegation also visited a long-time friend of Taiwan, Bratislava Regional Governor Juraj Droba. The meeting was pleasant and engaging. Governor Droba, who has visited Taiwan five times, warmly welcomed Deputy Mayor Chang’s invitation to return to Taipei, expressing strong interest in further exchanges with Mayor Wan-An Chiang in areas such as youth entrepreneurship hubs and artificial intelligence innovation. He also stated that he hoped to invite Mayor Chiang to visit Bratislava to exchange ideas in these fields.

Known humorously as a “Taiwan expert,” Governor Droba joked that his frequent visits to Taiwan had piqued his wife’s curiosity about the island’s charm, so he promised to bring her with him on his next visit. Although he was scheduled to depart for an official overseas visit on July 1, he made a special effort to meet with Deputy Mayor Chang the day before his departure, underscoring his commitment to deepening cooperation and exchanges with Taipei.