桃園市政府秘書處

Ambassadors and representatives to Taiwan from 26 countries visited Taoyuan's Datan Power Plant, Caota Sand Dunes, and Fan Jiang Ancestral Hall upon Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan's invitation on November 19. The culmination of the tour was the dinner banquet in the courtyard of the ancestral hall. Catered by a five-star restaurant, the evening feast featured local ingredients from Taoyuan such as Fuxing District's persimmons, Yangmei District's Chinese mesona (Xiancao), Hakka-style braised pork belly with pickled vegetables. As the diplomats dined and wined after exploring the beauty of Taoyuan, wonderful melodies of traditional Taiwanese folk songs such as Four Seasons of Red and Awaiting the Spring Breeze flowed in the air presented by Taoyuan's local symphonic band, making it a night to be remembered.

"Taoyuan's coastline is dotted with fishing harbors and environmental protection areas such as wetlands, and sand dunes. It is also a critical area for Taiwan's wind power generation. Taoyuan will continue on the path of energy transition and pursue green sustainability and a circular economy. The units 7, 8, and 9 in Datan Power Plant that we visited this afternoon are currently under construction carried out by suppliers from the US, Japan, and South Korea. Once they are completed, Datan Power Plant will generate 20% of the electricity in Taiwan, which will help alleviate the increasing power demand in northern Taiwan," Mayor Cheng stated.

"Nicknamed as 'Taiwan's Sahara Desert,' Caota Sand Dunes in Guanyin District is a popular scenic spot that has attracted young people, couples, and newlyweds to check-in and take photos," according to Mayor Cheng. He also pointed out that this area is not only home to the most well-preserved wide range of coastal desert along Taiwan's west coastline but also Taiwan's first geopark that targets to protect "sand dunes." Xinwu District's Fan Jiang Ancestral Hall, where the dinner banquet took place, was declared as a city-designated monument in 2014. The traditional Siheyuan (courtyard house) residence with Hakka-styled swallow-tail rooftops and two courtyards is a classic beauty to behold. "Taoyuan City spares no effort to preserve the natural and cultural landscapes in the city. We would love you to come and visit Taoyuan more often," said Mayor Cheng to the ambassadors and representatives.

As stated by Director-General Jay Yen of Taoyuan City Government's Secretariat, Mayor Cheng has invited ambassadors and representatives to Taiwan to visit Taoyuan every year since he took office as the mayor. Starting from a trial ride on the Taoyuan Metro before its official operation, these tours include baseball game-watching at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium, and the religious parade of "Daxi Daxi". In hopes of showcasing Taoyuan's diversity to ambassadors and representatives to Taiwan, the city government arranged this year's trip to visit Datan Power Plant to have a glimpse of the country's critical infrastructure, tour the well-preserved Caota Sand Dunes, and enjoy an al fresco dinner at the Fan Jiang Ancestral Hall near the coast. More than 40 diplomats from around 26 countries participated in the tour this year.