Taipei: Taiwan's foreign ministry extended a warm welcome to a delegation of 35 Ukrainian municipal officials during an official reception held on Tuesday evening. The officials are visiting Taiwan to attend the Smart City Summit and Expo in Taipei, an event aimed at fostering trade and collaboration.
According to Focus Taiwan, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) organized the event as a demonstration of support for Ukraine in its efforts to rebuild and reconstruct cities affected by conflict. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung highlighted the significance of the visit, emphasizing that it would strengthen the friendship between Taiwan and Ukraine.
Deputy Foreign Minister Fran§ois Wu praised the resilience of Ukrainians, describing it as "a model" for the world. He reiterated Taiwan's commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the onset of Russia's invasion in February 2022 and assured continued support in collaboration with Ukraine during challenging times.
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi and Uzhhorod Mayor Bohdan Andriyiv expressed their gratitude for Taiwan's aid and support. They also conveyed hopes for Taiwanese businesses to participate in the reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian officials were invited to Taiwan specifically for the smart city expo, which runs from Tuesday to Friday in Taipei. MOFA expressed its enthusiasm for further collaborations between Taiwanese and Ukrainian cities.