Mayor Cheng Wen-Tsan of Taoyuan attended the Taiwan-Guam Virtual Economic Summit and Sister City Agreement Signing Ceremony between Taoyuan and Guam on December 15 along with Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero of Guam. The event was organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Guam (TECO in Guam) and the University of Guam, where Mayor Cheng signed the sister city agreement between Taoyuan and Guam and shared Taoyuan's experience in airport city governance with government representatives and scholars from Guam.
Mayor Cheng stated that the economic summit and agreement signing ceremony marked a critical milestone for the bilateral cooperation between Taoyuan and Guam. Both Taiwan and Guam are crucial islands in the Pacific and are only a 3-hour flight away from each other. Mayor Cheng looks forward to a beautiful and lasting friendship between Taoyuan and Guam.
Taiwan is located at the center of Asia Pacific, and Taoyuan is the gateway to Taiwan, which is about a 4-hour flight away on average from major cities in Asia-Pacific. In addition, the cargo volume of Taoyuan International Airport is ranked the fourth worldwide, said Mayor Cheng. The airport expansion project is expected to double the passenger capacity, and improving airport capacity, driving the development of new industries, and building a smart city are the three core objectives of Taoyuan Aerotropolis Project, which prioritizes six sectors: cloud computing, smart vehicles, warehouse and logistics, biotechnology, aviation support services, and green energy. A comprehensive industrial cluster will be established, making the airport no longer just an airport, but an important hub for urban development.
Mayor Cheng also pointed out that both Taiwan and Guam embrace liberty, freedom, and democracy and share historical and geographical common ground. Situated at the first and second island chains, Taiwan and Guam are a critical link in the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy. The people of Taiwan have enjoyed traveling to Guam, and many newlyweds have chosen Guam as their honeymoon destination, creating precious memories.
By signing the sister city agreement, Mayor Cheng added that Taoyuan is more than happy to facilitate diverse and substantive exchange between Taiwan and Guam by working with Taoyuan International Airport Corporation and airlines, including China Airlines and EVA Air, to improve tourism and direct flights, making Guam the top tourist destination for the people of Taiwan. Additionally, Taiwan boasts advanced medicine and healthcare, and Taoyuan is home to Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, the largest medical center in Taiwan, so medical cooperation holds great promise. The agreement signing signals the beginning of the friendship between Taoyuan and Guam, contributing to more frequent mutual visits and closer ties in the public and private sectors, said Mayor Cheng.
Governor Leon Guerrero said that she was thrilled to sign the sister city agreement following the video conference with Mayor Cheng last year. Many urgent issues are in need of discussion in order to achieve mutual prosperity, and she looks forward to further collaboration in a wide variety of sectors, including tourism, direct flights, mutual visits by the people, trade and investment, healthcare, education, and aquaculture. Despite the pandemic, Taiwan still sustains robust economic growth with its technological prowess and continues to invest in different industries, making it a model of success. Governor Leon Guerrero looks forward to meeting with Mayor Cheng in person to discuss collaboration details.
Taoyuan has been a role model of practicing airport economics, and Taoyuan International Airport has become the core of development, driving the aviation, transportation, logistics, MICE, and tourism industries, said Paul Chen, Director-General of TECO in Guam. He was delighted to see Taoyuan, as the gateway city to Taiwan, share best practices in aerotropolis development with Guam, while Guam welcomes Taiwan’s investment. It is hoped that experts in the public and private sectors will discuss cooperation and establish strong ties in medicine, energy, tourism, direct flights, and so on.
According to Yen Tzu-Chieh, Director-General of the Secretariat in Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan has been engaged in international exchange despite the pandemic in the hope that cooperation can be deepened both in the public and the private sectors. An oil painting entitled “The River of Life” by Atayal artist Amay Silan was presented as a gift to Governor Leon Guerrero. The painting depicts Dahan River, nurturing the life in tribes, as well as Taiwan shovel-jaw carp and groupers, symbolizing the connection between the river and tribal life.