Taichung mayor visits Germany, signs MOU with Görlitz

Berlin, June 10 (CNA) Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) wrapped up a packed day of diplomacy in Berlin on Tuesday, signing a memorandum of understanding with Görlitz and holding talks with German lawmakers.

Lu said on threads that under the MOU, the two sides will establish exchange mechanisms covering areas including energy, technology, culture, education and disaster prevention, with the aim of expanding practical cooperation.

Görlitz District Administrator Stephan Meyer said his city was well positioned to serve as a bridge for Taiwanese supply chains entering Central Europe, adding that Taichung could act as Görlitz's gateway to Asia.

"Whether in the energy transition, digitalization, research, business, culture, or workforce development, we want to learn from one another, develop ideas together and create new opportunities for our region," he said.

Meyer said Taichung and Görlitz share strengths in smart manufacturing, precision engineering and industrial innovation, noting that the Saxon border city is near Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) plant in Dresden and at the crossroads of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Meyer also revealed that the tie he wore to the signing, attended by Taiwan's representative to Germany Gu Ruey-sheng (谷瑞生) and German parliamentarian Florian Oest, had been gifted to him when he first visited Taiwan as a student.

Earlier Tuesday, Lu visited the German parliament and met with members of the cross-party Taiwan friendship group.

Lu's delegation is on a city diplomacy trip to Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria running from last Saturday to June 15.

The next stop is Dresden, where the TSMC-led European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC) fab is set to begin production next year.

Once operational, around 2,000 engineers are expected to travel annually from Dresden to Taichung for training, further deepening ties between the two cities.