On 19 July, TRO Representative David Lin led a delegation to Bristol as part of efforts to promote Taiwan’s links with regions across the UK.
Invited by Bristol City Council, the delegation first visited Bristol City Hall where they held discussions with Mayor of Bristol Martin Rees and Chief Executive of Bristol City Council Anna Klonowski. Representative Lin spoke with the pair about avenues for cooperation between Taiwan and Bristol, and invited Mayor Rees to the Mayors’ Summit of Taiwan’s Smart City Expo in March 2018. As Bristol will host the Festival of the Future City in October, Mayor Rees had previously invited the Mayor of Taipei City to participate in the event.
The delegation attended a further meeting in the City Hall, chaired by Shelley Nania, International Service Manager of Bristol City Council. During the meeting, the delegation discussed trade relations between Asia and South West England with officials from the Department for International Trade, as well as smart city projects with council executives, and investment opportunities with personnel from Invest Bristol and Bath, an investment promotion agency.
In a separate event held at the University of Bristol, the Representative Lin met with university directors to discuss opportunities for educational cooperation through Taiwan’s Youth Mobility Scheme, a scheme for young people in Britain wishing to study and work in Taiwan. Representative Lin noted that there are currently 44 Taiwanese students studying at the University of Bristol, and expressed his hopes that Taiwan’s links with the university would continue to grow along with educational ties between Taiwan and the UK.
