An ECCT delegation travelled to Taichung to host a Premium Event lunch with Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen (盧秀燕). In her presentation, the mayor provided an update on Taichung’s economy and business and investment opportunities in the city and forthcoming activities.

In her speech, which she gave in English, the mayor introduced the Taichung Shopping Festival, which began on 24 October and continues until 25 December. She showed a commercial promoting the festival and introduced a dedicated app for the festival. To attract visitors, the festival is giving away daily raffle cash prizes of NT$3000, weekly prizes of NT$100,000, monthly prizes of NT$1 million, cars (on a biweekly basis) as well as a grand prize of a condominium. The festival is promoting local and international food, including Belgian food and beer. She noted that Taichung has a lot of international food and products.  

Mayor Lu also spoke about her visits to the UK and the Netherlands, in which she learnt about sustainability initiatives. She said that the UK’s phasing out of coal-fired power plants served as a good example for Taichung, which also wishes to do the same given that it is home to Taiwan’s largest coal-fired power plant. She went on to acknowledge some of the investments of European firms in Taichung, especially in the wind energy sector, as well as investments by Taichung firms in Europe, such as Giant, Hiwin, Mobiletron and Marwi.  

The mayor proceeded to introduce her team and who to contact for information about investing in Taichung. She went on to answer several questions posed by ECCT members.

Besides Mayor Lu, the event was attended by over 50 ECCT members and guests as well as the following Taichung City Government officials: Mark K Huang, Deputy Mayor (經濟發展局張峯源局長); Ellis FY Chang, Director-General, Economic Development Bureau (交通局葉昭甫局長); Yeh Chao-Fu, Director-General, Transportation Bureau (環境保護局陳宏益局長); Chen Hong-Yi, Director-General, Environmental Protection Bureau (法制局李善植局長); Lee Shan-Chih, Director-General, Legal Affairs Bureau (數位治理局林谷隆局長); Klon Lin, Director-General, Digital Affairs Bureau (秘書處謝佳蓁處長) and Hsieh Chia-Chen, Director-General of the Secretariat.