Shiow-Yen Lu, the Mayor of Taichung, met today (27) with Mayor Joyce Craig of Manchester City, a sister city of the United States. Two sides exchanged views on issues, such as women's political participation, sports, transportation, and smart cities. It is the first time a mayor has visited the sister city of the two metropolitans in person 34 years after the alliance's founding. It is also the mayor of the sister city dropping in after the epidemic first time, which is of great significance. As Mayor Craig's birthday approaches, Mayor Lu thoughtfully prepares Taichung pearl milk tea to offer her blessings in advance. Mayor Lu hopes to deepen the friendship between the two cities and increase exchanges and cooperation.

Mayor Lu laughed and said that they had many similarities with Mayor Craig. They were both elected as mayors for the first time in 2018 and were the first female mayors of their respective cities. Besides, the public supported them for reappointment in the same year. Mayor Lu hopes to strengthen the possibility of future cooperation between the two sides through interactive exchanges. Mayor Lu stressed that it was uneasy for women to succeed in politics. Therefore, they should continue to work hard with each other to set a model for many women and encourage more women to participate in politics.

Mayor Craig and her husband will also participate in the "2023 Smart City Summit & Expo, SCSE" during their visit to Taiwan, in addition to paying a visit to the Taichung City Government. The city government has also set up eight booths for the exhibition. Mayor Lu said that she welcomed the visiting delegation to visit and provide guidance.

Hearing that Mayor Craig is keen on marathon sports and has participated in the Boston Marathon for ten consecutive years. Mayor Lu is curious whether there are specific conditions to join the event. Mayor Craig laughed and said, "If I can do it, you can do it!" She further pointed out that endurance training for marathons was also much helpful for city promotion. Mayor Lu replied that there would be 50 marathons in Taichung this year and welcomes Mayor Craig and her husband to have the opportunity to participate in Taichung sports events together.

Mayor Craig praised Taichung's public transportation during the meeting, and Mayor Lu explained the relevant policy planning. Taichung will soon cooperate with the central government to launch the monthly pass project to let people use as much as they want, besides the free travel for the first ten kilometers on the Double Ten bus. Citizens of Taichung can buy a monthly pass for about USD10, which allows them to use public bicycles, buses, railways, MRT, and other means of transportation for an unlimited number of times. Mayor Lu stressed that public transport could save energy and reduce carbon emissions. Also, reduce the financial burden on the people, which is very worth investing in. Mayor Craig agreed with Mayor Lu's ideas and was deeply impressed by the transportation in Taichung.
As Mayor Craig's birthday was approaching, Mayor Lu thoughtfully prepared pearl milk tea and egg cakes as a treat. She emphasized that Taichung City is the birthplace of pearl milk tea, so she let distinguished guests taste the flavor that belongs to Taichung. Mayor Craig said meeting Mayor Lu in person was her great honor. Also, she thanked the city government for its warm reception. She feels the thick human touch in Taichung and hopes to establish more cooperation and exchanges in the future.
According to Jia-Zhen Xie Director of the Secretariat, Manchester City, located on the east coast of the United States, is the largest city in New Hampshire and Northern New England. Taichung City welcomed the first sister mayor to visit after the epidemic eased for this time. They also arranged for VIP guests to visit the North District Civil Sports Center, Maple Garden, Taichung Hub, and other itineraries besides meeting with Mayor Lu. At the same time, the government also provided Taichung's dedicated beverages, hoping the mayor of the sister city could enjoy the delicious food and beauty of Taichung, understand Taichung deeply, and fall in love with Taichung.

Today, Mayor Craig and her husband visited the city government and met with including Chief of Staff MacLeod and others. Moreover, Mayor Lu, Deputy Mayor Guo-Rong Huang, Director of Secretariat Jia-Zhen Xie, Director of Sports Bureau Yu-Rui Lee, Director of Construction Da-Tian Chen, Director of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Jia-Jun Chen, Director of Information Bureau Zhao-Xin Zheng, Secretary General of Information Management Center Zhi-Cang Shen, and others attended the reception, with a warm and harmonious atmosphere.