On April 9, Taichung City Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen met with Director Matthieu Baudouin A. Branders of the Belgian Office in Taipei, Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, and Representative Yip Wei Kiat of the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei, to express appreciation for their support of the 2024 Taichung Shopping Festival and to exchange views on global trade challenges stemming from rising U.S. tariffs. Mayor Lu also called for deeper economic ties with Belgium, Japan, and Singapore through joint exhibitions and enhanced business incentives.
Mayor Lu sincerely thanked the three representatives for appearing in the international promotional videos of the 2024 Taichung Shopping Festival. Each video garnered over 250,000 views online, significantly boosting the festival’s global visibility. The campaign yielded remarkable results, with total registered spending reaching NT$35.3 billion. The “Taichung Pass (TCPASS)” app recorded more than 2.8 million downloads and over 1.65 million registered members. Moreover, the festival drew 2,784 foreign visitors from over 40 countries, generating NT$43 million in recorded spending. News and information was even shared across 47 countries and regions, including Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, and reached over 500 hotels throughout Asia. Mayor Lu emphasized that these efforts not only showcased the culinary and cultural highlights of Belgium, Japan, and Singapore, but also reinforced Taichung’s image as a dynamic international city.
Mayor Lu highlighted Taichung’s close relationships with Belgium, Japan, and Singapore, which are key trade partners of Taiwan. As countries worldwide grapple with the impact of increased U.S. tariffs, many are exploring strategies for mitigation. Mayor Lu used the opportunity to seek insights from the three representatives on how to best navigate these challenges. Underscoring the notion that "crisis brings opportunity," she urged for enhanced economic cooperation with Belgium, Japan, and Singapore to diversify Taiwan’s international trade partnership, while maintaining focus on the U.S. market.
Photo: Economic Development Bureau, Taichung City Government
Mayor Lu also announced that the city government has formed an “Emergency Response Team” and launched six major strategies, including tax relief measures, in response to current trade uncertainties. These strategies aim to diversify export markets and reduce reliance on U.S. demand. The city will subsidize Taichung-based businesses for participation in international trade shows, encouraging them to explore new markets. Mayor Lu expressed her hope for closer collaboration with foreign representative offices in Taiwan, facilitating mutual participation in exhibitions and creating new business opportunities.
According to the Taichung City Government Economic Development Bureau, all three representatives expressed optimism about expanding cooperation, building on existing trade foundations. Taichung is widely regarded as a hub for industry and investment, with many enterprises from Belgium, Japan, and Singapore already operating in the city. Similarly, many Taiwanese businesses have established successful ventures in these countries. The representatives expressed enthusiasm for further collaboration to strengthen economic and trade ties.
The Economic Development Bureau highlighted several notable examples of foreign investment in Taichung. Japanese companies, such as Mitsui Fudosan and MGC Pure Chemicals, have established a strong presence in the city. Belgian companies are actively players in industries like offshore wind energy, bicycle components, and medical devices. Singaporean businesses are involved in areas such as software services, chemical manufacturing, and semiconductor equipment maintenance.
Photo: Economic Development Bureau, Taichung City Government
One recent milestone is Singapore’s ST Engineering Urban Solutions securing the turnkey contract for the Taichung MRT Blue Line BM01 project, which includes the E&M system, depot construction, and main substation.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Mayors Huang Guo-Rong and Cheng Chao-Hsin, Deputy Secretary-General Lin Yu-Hong, and Economic Development Bureau Director Chang Feng-Yuan. The discussions were both dynamic and constructive, highlighting the shared commitment to strengthening cooperation.
Advertorial by Economic Development Bureau, Taichung City Government
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their