William Lai (Ching-de), Mayor Tainan City Government 台南市長 賴清德

12:00 – 14:00, Wednesday, 29 April 2015

Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Tainan , East Gate (B1)/ 香格里拉台南遠東國際大飯店 B1赤崁廳

89, Section West, University Road, Tainan City 70146, Taiwan /台南市東區大學路西段89號

Tainan City has been recognised as an active promoter of low carbon development and Tainan City Mayor William Lai has consistently been rated as one of Taiwan's top performing city mayors since his first term of office began in 2010. He recently published a book titled "Foresee the Future" in which he shares his ideas about politics, detailed procedures on how he transformed political affairs and resolved problems in Tainan through innovative methods. What are the key ingredients to Tainan's success? What is Mayor Lai's perspective on future prospects for the city and what opportunities are there for ECCT members to participate in the city's future development plans?

As part of the ECCT's ongoing programme as a nationwide association to actively engage in cooperation with municipal governments all across Taiwan, members are invited to an exclusive round-table lunch with Tainan City Mayor William Lai and senior Tainan city government officials. The lunch will provide the chamber a unique opportunity to meet face to face with Mayor Lai and city officials to hear about the city's business development plans, share information about the ECCT and discuss business issues. The agenda will include an update on Tainan's business climate, plans for further cooperation between the city and the ECCT's Low Carbon Initiative (LCI), green urban development, promoting energy efficiency in buildings and industry, transportation solutions and business opportunities associated with these plans.

Dr William Lai (Ching-de) is serving his second four-year term as mayor of Tainan City after winning re-election in 2014. He was previously a legislator, elected first in 1999 and re-elected three times in 2001, 2004 and 2008. He was selected as Taiwan's "Best Legislator" four times in a row by Taipei-based NGO Citizen Congress Watch. Lai studied medicine at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan and National Taiwan University in Taipei, where he specialized in rehabilitation. He then studied at the Harvard School of Public Health for a Masters' degree in public health. Before embarking on his political career, he became an expert on spinal cord damage and served as a national consultant for such injuries.

Tainan city has a population of 1.9 million people and an excellent infrastructure, including a link on the Taiwan High Speed Rail and a business-friendly government. The city is one of Taiwan's five special municipalities and an important business and industrial hub in Southern Taiwan. It is home to Taiwan's largest agricultural and industrial area in Southern Taiwan and the city and surrounding area contain 66 industrial parks including the Tainan Science Technology Park, the Tainan Technology Industrial Park, Madou Industrial Park and Qigu Technology Park. In addition, the city boasts a rich cultural heritage as the home of the first European (Dutch) settlers in Taiwan, high-quality, affordable housing and an abundance of land for development. Furthermore, the city government is committed to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions by promoting the installation of solar panels in the city's buildings, factories and farms. In addition to technology and green energy industries, the Tainan city government is also planning to set up environmentally-friendly transportation solutions which include the construction of a light rail system and the launching of electric buses in the city.

Cost: NT$1,600 per member; NT$2,100 for members' guestsTo cancel without penalty, written cancellations must be received at least 24 hours before the event.
Contact: Fiona Lee / Tel 2740-0236 ext. 215 / Fiona.lee@ecct.com.tw / www.ecct.com.tw