Secretariat, Taipei City Government

On April 13, the Taipei City Government held a signing ceremony for the Taipei–Himeji Friendship and Exchange Agreement. Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang and Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto jointly signed the agreement, which marks a significant milestone in the partnership between the two cities. Moving forward, Taipei and Himeji will expand cooperation in talent exchanges, tourism promotion, and economic and trade development, with particular emphasis on reciprocal visits and internship opportunities for youth and vocational students. Through two-way exchanges, both cities seek to strengthen the cultivation of internationally minded talent and generate substantive outcomes.

In his remarks, Mayor Chiang warmly welcomed Mayor Kiyomoto and his delegation, noting that since he took office, the Taipei City Government has continued to deepen exchanges with cities across Japan, particularly in the Kansai region in recent years. With the support of the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association, the two cities have maintained close engagement over the past year, culminating in the formal establishment of this friendship agreement. Mayor Chiang described the occasion as especially meaningful. He further emphasized that the agreement will bring together governmental, industrial, and academic resources from both sides to promote youth exchanges across a wide range of professional fields, cultivate globally competitive talent, and ensure that the friendship between Taiwan and Japan continues to flourish across future generations.

Mayor Kiyomoto expressed sincere appreciation for the Taipei City Government’s warm hospitality and stated that Himeji City felt deeply honored to establish a friendship with Taipei, a city renowned for both its advanced artificial intelligence industry and rich historical and cultural heritage. He noted that, amid rapid global transformation, talent development has emerged as a key driver of urban development. In 2024, Himeji City established the “Global Talent Development Alliance” and began a new collaborative initiative with the College of International Affairs at National Chengchi University. Mayor Kiyomoto expressed hope for stronger connections between local enterprises and vocational education institutions in both cities, anticipating that such connections will deepen cooperation in tourism and industry-oriented talent development, creating new opportunities for mutual growth and shared prosperity.

In addition to attending the signing ceremony, the Himeji City delegation visited the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and the Ningxia Night Market to gain firsthand insight into Taipei’s efforts to promote the nighttime economy and to exchange views on future areas of collaboration.