Taiwan envoy visits Israel's Eilat to promote bilateral exchange

Tel Aviv, March 24 (CNA) Taiwan's representative to Israel Abby Lee (李雅萍) recently visited Eilat in southern Israel to promote bilateral exchanges in a variety of fields such as green energy development.

The visit symbolizes a starting point for cooperation between the two sides, Lee told Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri during a discussion held March 20 that centered on environmental sustainability, clean energy, tourism and smart resilient cities.

Lee said she was pleased to see the relationship between the cities of both countries strengthen in recent years, most notably through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) and the Smart City Summit & Expo.

During those events, she said Taiwan gained invaluable insights into how various local governments in Israel address issues relating to climate change, the pandemic and social resilience, while expressing hope that mutual exchanges continue in the future.

The Taiwanese envoy also highlighted the 34 cooperation agreements signed between the two countries that cover a wide range of fields, including trade, culture, tourism, technology, and environmental protection.

Eilat is a major tourism hub in Israel, attracting around 3 million domestic and international visitors annually, Lankri said, adding that the city is currently working to become a smart green energy city, with initiatives such as promoting solar power generation and building smart green buildings in order to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.

Although Eilat's economy faced challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the country's conflict with the Hamas militant group, the city is confident that it will be able to revitalize local tourism and warmly welcomes Taiwanese visitors, he added.

Eilat is Israel's southernmost city located on the northern tip of the Red Sea.

Known for its warm climate, Red Sea coral reefs, and marine snorkeling activities, Eilat not only boasts abundant tourism resources along its bay but has also experienced rapid development in recent years in fields such as smart agriculture, renewable energy, and marine conservation.