Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton yesterday signed an accord to show their resolve to consolidate the rapport between the two cities.
Speaking at a signing ceremony, Ko said that he visited Arizona’s capital earlier this year on a trip to the US and thanked Stanton for returning the favor.
Taipei and Phoenix have been sister cities since 1979 and the relationship has been one of the most successful among Taipei’s links with sister cities.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Ko took the opportunity to promote the Summer Universiade, which Taipei is to host next year.
“I hope they will send a lot of people here to look around and attend the Universiade while they are at it,” he said.
Despite having a packed schedule, Stanton said that, knowing Ko is an avid advocate of cycling, his one disappointment was that he might not have another chance to go cycling with Ko as they did in Phoenix, which he said was in one of the hottest parts of the US.
“Mayor Ko, you are a strong, hearty soul,” he said.
The two cities have conducted exchanges between their fire departments, teachers and little league baseball teams, among others, Stanton said, adding that Phoenix has sent delegations to Taipei to compete in dragon boat races.
Stanton said he hoped the two cities would also carry out trade exchanges, thereby developing even closer bonds, adding that Taipei is a world leader in trade.
Ko presented Stanton with a key to the city of Taipei and a seal inscribed with a Chinese translation of Stanton’s name.
In return, Stanton presented Ko with a Navajo pottery vase.
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