Secretariat, Taipei City Government

On November 5, Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang met with Ms. Marie-Louise Hannan, Executive Director of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, and Mr. Charles Hudon, Director of General Relations. The parties exchanged opinions extensively on topics including technology, education, and energy.

Chiang first congratulated Hannan on her new appointment and noted that both she and Hudon are well acquainted with Taipei, which he believes will contribute to deepening exchanges and cooperation between Taipei and Canada. He expressed appreciation for Canada’s long-standing support in the fields of education, culture, trade, health care, and technology. In particular, he highlighted education, noting that Canada is a popular destination for Taiwanese youth pursuing studies or working holidays, and that both sides have promoted initiatives such as dual high school diploma programs. He also mentioned the annual Canada Day celebration held at the Taipei Hakka Cultural Park, a well-received event that the Taipei City Government will continue to support.

Hannan thanked Chiang for taking the time to meet and remarked that she was deeply impressed by Taipei’s development. She noted her longstanding connection with Taiwan dating back to the 1990s and expressed her observation of the marked progress in the city’s transportation and institutional systems since her last visit. She added that next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei and emphasized that efforts to advance bilateral cooperation will continue. She also expressed particular appreciation for the Taipei City Government’s support of Canada Day celebrations.

During the meeting, the two parties exchanged opinions on technology, artificial intelligence, and industrial development. Hannan noted that Canada possesses strong research and development capabilities in artificial intelligence and expressed hope for strengthened cooperation with Taipei. Chiang responded that Taipei welcomes investment from Canadian enterprises and brought up the Invest Taipei Office, which offers one-stop services to facilitate such engagement. He expressed anticipation for deeper collaboration with relevant Canadian industries. The discussion also covered energy and security issues. Chiang explained that Taipei’s policy priorities focus on three key areas: the technology economy, public safety, and energy. Hannan noted that Canada is a major global energy exporter and welcomes the prospect of enhanced cooperation in the area of energy security.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Chiang presented Hannan with a copy of The Map of Taipei, expressing his hope that she would continue to explore and discover more of the city’s beauty in the days to come.