Bright Shining Taichung City Diplomatic Tour

Our visit is not confined to the level of the government officials, but rather a more local cultural exchange. This visit, thanks to the participating artists' involvement, has successfully brought these two cities together through demonstrating our depth of culture.

Warm welcome from the North Shore City

Our Taiwan office’s representative in Auckland, Lin Hu Rong Da, Stewart Rundle from Free China Association and local overseas Taiwanese warmly greeted the group, led by Mayor Hu on September 4 to New Zealand's North Shore City. George Wood, the mayor of North Shore City and the councilors also went to the airport to meet the group. i traditional dance was arranged to welcome the group's visit. The ceremony was solemn yet warm. After the North Shore City Mayor, George Wood, gave his welcome speech in English and Maori, Mayor Hu also responded with a thank-you speech in English, Chinese, Taiwanese and Taiwanese aborigine language.

Maori's history traces back to Taiwan

According to the records kept in the New Zealand museum, the Maori- the New Zealand aborigines, originally came from Taiwan 4,000 years ago. Some scientists also prove that the Maori and Taiwanese aborigines share 60% DNA in common. Mayor Hu was fascinated with the report and interested bringing Maori culture into Taiwan. He also expressed that Taiwan should work on broadening the relationship between Taiwan and New Zealand. It'll be a breakthrough if Taiwanese aborigine dance performance can be broadcasted in the Maori-only program to point out our significant blood relationship. New Zealand Museum said that it will arrange Vaka Moana, depicting how the New Zealand ancestor migrated, to be exhibited in Taichung's Science Museum next March. It'll be a great opportunity for the Taiwanese people to witness this culture treasure.

Culture and Art play the role of a diplomat

The main purpose of this trip is to hold exhibitions to exchange culture and art. A total of 29 outstanding painters and calligraphy artists attended the exhibition. Mayor Hu also especially invited two excellent pianists, professor Jiang Xue Fong and Yang Mei Na, from the event "12 pianos Classical Music Concert", held at Taichung Amphitheater on September 2, to present "Taiwanese Folk Music and Mozart Encounter in New Zealand" Piano Concert for Four Hands. Chinese painter, Lin Qing Jing and calligraphy artist, Wu Ji Ru, also make on-site demonstration at the exhibition. All those activities contribute to the success of this culture exchange trip.

Art Performances are received with enthusiasm

Mayor Hu said that this diplomatic visit turns out to be a success, in which Taichung excellent Chinese painters, calligraphy artists and pianists' performances play an important role. Constant visitors hung around the artists' hotel rooms until one or two in the morning, which also proves that this trip's meaning has gone beyond official level and reached the local cultural level.

Art and culture cross borders

Works in the exhibition were highly accepted among the overseas Chinese communities, which expressed the will of having the work exhibited at the Taiwanese Festival on November 4. The message was delivered to Taichung Bureau of Culture Affairs, which then obtained the artists' permission to leave their artwork exhibited, which is considered as the extended activity and believed to be a true success.

Culture Exchange as the Bridge of connecting two cities together

The visit to North Shore City has enabled the culture exchange as well as strengthened the friendship between these two cities. Taichung city is the only city in Taiwan, which has ties with any cities in New Zealand while China has 42 . Mayor Hu hopes that our central government can put in more efforts in seeing more ties happening.

This diplomatic trip has come to an end. However, it is hoped that this visit can be viewed as a stepping-stone to inspire more similar activities. Just like what Mayor Hu said that there is an end to everything, yet there is a beginning of another thing as well.