ECCT PREMIUM EVENT 

Lunch with Mayor Ko Wen-je 

2017 will mark the 19th consecutive year since the ECCT held its first annual round table lunch with the Taipei City Government (TCG). As in previous years, this year's event will provide an exclusive opportunity for ECCT members to discuss issues of concern or mutual interest with the mayor, deputy mayor and a full delegation of senior TCG cabinet officials, who will be in attendance.

A lot is happening in Taipei in 2017. After a month of trial runs, Taiwan's Airport metro rail line (MRT), which runs from Taipei Main Station to and beyond Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is set to start commercial service on 2 March. The brand new Taipei Airport MRT Station (A1) will be the first MRT station to feature airport check-in facilities and cut travel time between Taipei and the airport from an hour to less than 40 minutes. In a boon for tourists, the city recently introduced a double-decker open-topped sightseeing bus. Looking ahead, plans are now being finalised for the 29th Summer Universiade, which the city will be hosting in August. Meanwhile the Department of Cultural Affairs plans to resume construction work on the Taipei Performing Arts Center.

Despite his unconventional style of governance, Taipei Mayor Ko has been successful on a number of fronts, including revitalising the historical North Gate area of the city and the Wanhua district, improving traffic flow, expanding the Ubike network and bicycle paths. His no-nonsense, action-oriented approach and communication using social networking has helped him retain popularity with certain voters, particularly the youth while his independent status and political astuteness has helped him to maintain good relations with, for example, the mayor of Shanghai. He is building on this by strengthening public participation in city affairs. The city's Department of Civil Affairs has opened information desks at all 12 district offices to assist the public in proposing policies to improve their neighbourhoods. As part of Mayor Ko's participatory budgeting policy, 66 policies proposed by residents and civil servants have been approved since 2015 in what Mayor Ko has called a "big step towards direct democracy".

This event will offer an opportunity for members to hear about the city's activities and plans for future development. At the lunch, which will be open only to ECCT members, Mayor Ko will give a short address to guests, after which a round-table lunch will be held where members can raise questions or discuss issues of concern with city government officials, who will be seated at different tables at the venue. Among other subjects, members will be able to raise and discuss the following subjects:

- Quality of living issues (water quality, air, noise and environmental pollution)
- Plans for the 2017 Summer Universiade
- Plans to improve traffic safety and communications infrastructure (such as public Wi-Fi)
- Major public transport, infrastructure and urban renewal projects and tourism
- Plans for intelligent infrastructure including green buildings, electric vehicles and smart grids.

Dr Ko Wen-je was elected mayor of Taipei City in 2014. Prior to this he was an attending physician and Chairman of the Department of Traumatology at National Taiwan University Hospital. He was also a professor at National Taiwan University College of Medicine specialising in trauma, intensive care and organ transplants. He received both his medical degree and medical doctorate from National Taiwan University.