On August 5, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen led the city government team on a seven-day visit to multiple cities in New South Wales and Queensland, including the state capitals Sydney and Brisbane. She returned to Taiwan early this morning (11th). During the trip, Mayor Lu personally presided over the opening ceremony of the 2025 Taichung Da Dun Arts Exhibition Cultural Exchange, visited several key cultural and convention venues, and held meetings with the President and Deputy President of the New South Wales Legislative Council, aiming to deepen cooperation between the two sides. Additionally, she engaged warmly with the local Taiwanese community. Mayor Lu expressed that the Taichung City Government’s delegation to Australia was “exceptionally successful,” having achieved all anticipated goals in urban diplomacy with fruitful results.
Mayor Lu noted that during this visit, all key meetings were conducted as scheduled, and important infrastructure projects were successfully observed. The itinerary was intensive, yielding significant outcomes. She also took the opportunity to understand how various countries worldwide are responding to U.S. tariff policies; the U.S. tariff rate for Australia stands at 10%. Mayor Lu believes that among the countries in the South Pacific region, Australia hosts the largest Taiwanese community. Through this visit, she envisions expanding and strengthening economic and trade exchanges between Taiwan and Australia, positioning Australia as a strategic hub for diversifying Taiwan’s global market presence.
Mayor Lu noted that Australia is home to a large number of outstanding Taiwanese compatriots who have worked diligently for many years. Not only have they achieved success in their careers, but they also maintain a strong sense of connection and loyalty to Taiwan. On behalf of the Taichung City Government, she expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic support from the overseas compatriot community, which greatly contributed to the smooth execution of the visit. Furthermore, the 2025 Da Dun Arts Exhibition of Taichung City grandly opened in Australia and is currently ongoing, with hopes that the exhibition will promote interaction and cooperation in the fields of culture and the arts between both sides.
“This visit was exceptionally successful!” Mayor Lu further noted, expressing thanks to the Australian government and the overseas compatriot community, as well as appreciation for the meticulous planning and preparation by fellow colleagues of the city government prior to the trip. She also extended gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Overseas Community Affairs Council, and numerous friends whose support and assistance made the entire itinerary a great success.