Meeting face-to-face at last! Governor Lou Leon Guerrero of Guam, an U.S. sister city of Taichung City, paid an official visit to the Taichung City Government today (27th), where she was personally received by Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen. The two parties engaged in discussions on a range of topics including medical referral services, indigenous culture, tourism, trade, and education. Mayor Lu expressed her warm welcome to Governor Guerrero on her inaugural visit to Taiwan and Taichung, expressing hope that both sides will continue to strengthen cooperation and exchanges in various fields, thereby fostering closer interactions between the peoples and further enhancing the sister city relationship.
Mayor Lu noted that Governor Guerrero is the first female governor of Guam, while she herself is the only female mayor among Taiwan's six municipalities, which gives them a unique sense of mutual understanding and connection. She recalled that although they were unable to meet in person three years ago due to the pandemic, the sister city agreement was nonetheless signed through video conferencing and correspondence. Now, finally meeting face-to-face, she feels especially excited and grateful. Mayor Lu expressed her belief that this partnership will continue to deepen and bring greater benefits to the citizens of both cities.
Governor Guerrero remarked with a smile that, as life on Pacific islands tends to follow a more relaxed pace, her arrival in Taichung after three years has only heightened her anticipation for this visit. She expressed her hope to gain a deeper understanding of Taichung’s way of life and culture during her stay. She also noted that this visit has also facilitated the establishment of a sister airport relationship between Guam International Airport and Taichung International Airport. She looks forward to this milestone paving the way for further cooperation, strengthening trade exchanges, and drawing inspiration from Taichung’s successful experiences and innovative approaches.
Mayor Lu noted that both cities place great importance on economic development, tourism promotion, indigenous culture, and healthy living. Although she has not yet had the opportunity to visit Guam, she is deeply impressed by its achievements in promoting tourism, particularly the renowned Guam Travel campaign. She also noted that Taichung hosts an annual “Let’s All Ride” cycling festival every September, which aligns with Guam’s efforts to promote health and leisure activities. Furthermore, both cities are home to vibrant indigenous cultures and communities. The Chamorro people of Guam and Taiwan’s indigenous groups all belong to the Austronesian-speaking communities, sharing similar cultural roots, which presents strong potential for cultural exchange.
Governor Guerrero noted that Guam’s current policy priorities include strengthening the economy, enhancing the social welfare system, and improving education and public health—areas that closely align with the policy directions of Taichung City. She expressed her hope that the two sides will further expand their cooperation in the future, not only deepening ties with Taichung, but also fostering broader and more diverse exchanges with Taiwan as a whole.
Mayor Lu further expressed her hope for future cooperation in the field of education between the youth of both regions. She emphasized that students’ learning should not be confined to textbooks; rather, hands-on experiences and international exchanges are essential for broadening their horizons. She said that, the city will actively pursue the planning of student visits and educational exchange programs if opportunities arise.
According to the Secretariat, Taichung City has established sister city agreements with 16 cities and friendship city agreements with 2 others in the United States. Among them, Guam formalized its sister city agreement with Taichung in February 2022 via video conference. Taichung and Guam share numerous historical and geographical similarities. Both are situated at strategic locations along the first and second island chains in the Pacific. Notably, Guam serves as a key military base for the United States in the Pacific region. During the period when U.S. forces were stationed in Taichung, there were frequent direct flights between the two cities' airports, reflecting the long-standing and close ties between Taichung and Guam.
The atmosphere at today’s event was lively and engaging. Governor Lou Leon Guerrero led a delegation of 23 distinguished guests from Guam, including government officials and leaders from the political, business, and academic sectors. They were accompanied by Director-General Liu Chia-Ping of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Guam. Representing the Taichung City Government, in addition to Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen, were Deputy Mayor Huang Kuo-Jung, Executive Director Bruce Linghu of the International Affairs Committee, Director Chiang Wei-Min of the Education Bureau, Director Chang Feng-Yuan of the Economic Development Bureau, Director Tseng Tzu-Chan of the Health Bureau, Director Chen Chia-Chun of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Chairperson Yang Hsin-Yi of the Indigenous Peoples Commission, Secretary Hsieh Chia-Chen of the Secretariat, Chief Secretary Huang Chun-Man of the Agriculture Bureau, and Senior Executive Officer Chin Pao-Liang of the Tourism and Travel Bureau, among others—all present to participate in the event.