Taichung City Deputy Mayor Bruce Linghu and city hall staff visited Phoenix and sister city Tucson on July 17 Los Angeles time to promote Taichung's investment environment and the Taichung Shopping Festival, as well as to foster friendly relations with the 2 cities. In addition, Deputy Mayor Linghu paid a visit to Patricia, wife of Major-General James B. Linder, the last commander of the United States Taiwan Defense Command in order to express his gratitude to her for supporting and caring about Taiwan.

Deputy Mayor Linghu led a team of city hall staff to visit Phoenix via San Diego on July 17 Los Angeles time, where he held a breakfast meeting with Scottsdale Deputy Mayor Suzanne Klapp, Economic Development Director Rob Millar, and Tourism Sales Manager Emily Wininger. Both parties exchanged opinions on friendly city topics such as economy, trade, tourism, and culture.

Accompanied by Deputy Mayor Klapp, Deputy Mayor Linghu headed to Scottsdale City Hall and City Council for a visit, and he too attended the welcoming lunch with approximately 200 business and political leaders in Phoenix. Deputy Mayor Linghu presented a speech entitled the City of Affluence – Taichung's Outlook, introducing the investment environment in Taichung and the economic development policy of Free Trade, High Technology, and Logistics Center. Moreover, he promoted the Taichung Shopping Festival by inviting Chinese expats in Phoenix to shop in Taichung and win grand prizes. Deputy Mayor Klapp welcomed Deputy Mayor Linghu and his staff, and she also hoped to engage in further interactions with Taichung, in turn helping the 2 cities to become friendly cities.

Thereafter, Deputy Mayor Linghu traveled to Taichung City's sister city Tucson to meet with Patricia, wife of Major-General James B. Linder, the last commander of the United States Taiwan Defense Command.

At the age of 93, Patricia is still in excellent health; during the meeting, she not only exhibited clear thinking but also shared her pearls of wisdom and recollections of her life in Taiwan with Deputy Mayor Linghu, particularly the period when the United States cut its longstanding diplomatic and military ties with Taiwan in December 1978. However, Major-General James B. Linde and his wife had developed a profound sense of affection for Taiwan, so they were saddened by the Carter administration's hasty decision to cut ties with Taiwan. After all military bases were shut down in April 1979, Major-General James B. Linde applied for retirement. Nonetheless, they both still cared about the country and have been repeatedly invited to Taiwan to participate in festivities. Former President Ying-jeou Ma also met with them previously.

Major-General James B. Linder was the former captain and commander of USS Forrestal CV-59. Due to his love for Taiwan, Major-General James B. Linder's medals, decorations, citations, and medallions on display in Patricia's home are mostly related to Taiwan. In particular, there is a brush painting inscribed with "Gift from President Ching-kuo Chiang – Painting of Yangmingshan Landscape by Lingnan School Master Hao-nien Ou. According to sources, on Major-General James B. Linder's birthday, former President Ching-kuo Chiang invited him and his wife to dinner at home; after dinner, they stood in front of Hao-nien Ou's painting to admire it. To their surprise, President Ching-kuo Chiang instructed his staff to wrap up the painting and delivered it to Major-General James B. Linder and his wife. Mrs. Linder also published a memoir in which she has expressed her profound affection for Taiwan.

Deputy Mayor Linghu commented that the purpose of visiting Tucson is to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Taichung and Tucson. 1979 was a year of turmoil, as the US began official diplomatic relations with China on January 1, 1979, while Tucson became an ally of Taichung City in August of the same year, demonstrating true friendship between the 2 cities. Barry Morris Goldwater (1909-1998) is another pro-Republic of China senator in Arizona. Although Major-General James B. Linder and Senator Barry Morris Goldwater are no longer with us, we need to be thankful for the American allies who have supported our country at the time, because they are the reason why ROC is able to remain steadfast on the international stage today.

Deputy Mayor Linghu presented the wife of Major-General James B. Linder with an indigo dye silk scarf from Taiping, Taichung on behalf of Mayor Shiow-yen Lu to wish her good health.

Additionally, Deputy Mayor Linghu also attended the welcoming banquet celebrating sister city relationship between Tucson and Taichung. In the meeting, Deputy Mayor Linghu presented a speech introducing Taichung City's policy on attracting investment, hoping to facilitate bilateral exchanges. Furthermore, he attended the Taichung Day activity on July 18 Los Angeles time, celebrating the 40th anniversary of sister city relationship between Taichung and Tucson