TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The second Taipei International Cities Forum opened Thursday at the Far Eastern Shangri-La, bringing together city leaders to discuss the role of AI governance, per Liberty Times.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and Dresden Mayor Dirk Hilbert signed a memorandum of understanding covering cooperation in smart city governance, youth development, and tourism promotion. About 150 participants attended, including delegations from sister cities, diplomatic representatives, and members of industry, government, and academia.
Chiang said Taipei’s continued support for the forum underscores its commitment to international exchanges and shared governance, while enhancing the city’s global profile. He added the event fosters healthier and more sustainable communities and explores how AI can improve people’s lives.
This year’s forum theme is “AI x Future Cities: Smarter Governance, Greener Future.” Chiang said Taipei recently signed an agreement with Nvidia, reflecting the city’s growing appeal and emergence as a global AI hub.
In addition, Taipei's agreement with Dresden is significant, as it is Europe’s largest semiconductor cluster, also known as the “Silicon Valley of Saxony,” and the home of TSMC's first European wafer fab. Chiang also noted that Taipei launched direct flights last year with its sister city, Phoenix, which also hosts TSMC fabs.
Chiang said such partnerships will strengthen Taipei’s position in the global AI industry. He believes collaboration with international partners accelerates the city's ambition to become a global AI powerhouse.
During the forum, Chiang will deliver a keynote speech titled “Taipei: The Rise of a Global AI Powerhouse,” sharing Taipei’s experience in smart governance and discussing how cities can balance innovation with human values.
Taipei City Government noted that Chiang has signed agreements with seven cities since taking office. These include Kyiv, Hamamatsu, Kasama, Shizuoka, Guatemala City, Bratislava, and Dresden.
