At the last full meeting of council on Thursday of last week, the depute council leader asked that the council furthers its friendship with the country of Taiwan.
Cllr Day proposed the motion which was unanimously approved by all councillors. He said: “Edinburgh has a long standing link with Taiwan and we have had a consular office in the city for decades. The rich culture and history includes Taiwanese performers at the Fringe and a pre-recorded performance by award winning bassist and composer, Vincent Hsu and his band Harlem Inc at the Jazz and Blues Festival last year.
“Edinburgh shares some of the qualities that Taiwan holds dear such as freedom, democracy and human rights – not something that their main neighbours share.”
Cllr Day said after the meeting: “I am really pleased to have been able to move a motion to form a partnership between Taiwan and the city of Edinburgh. Taiwan’s rich cultural and academia stretches back over 150 years, and their work in science. Technology, Smart city’s and health fits well with our capital city.
“Their values of freedom, social justice and democracy chime well with our welcoming city and I look forward to forging closer links with our friends across Taiwan.”
Taiwan is a democracy with the president and Vice President directly elected every four years. The current president Dr Tsai Ing-Wen has served since 2016 as president. She is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party. She holds a PhD in Law from University of London. President Tsai was named one of Time’s most influential people in 2020 and continues to resist moves by the People’s Republic of China to unify Taiwan with the “Chinese motherland”.
The motion read as follows:
Council celebrates the positive relationships between Scotland and Taiwan traced back over 150 years, and Scottish Missionary Dr James Laidlaw Maxwell Senior born and educated in Edinburgh established the first hospital in Formosa (Taiwan).
Acknowledges the relations between Scotland and Taiwan have developed in Green and Renewable energy, Smart City exchange, Science & Technology, and many Cultural and Educational exchanges with a Memorandum of understanding between University of Edinburgh and National Taiwan Ocean University on offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, and a long standing relationship with Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.
Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and the Ministry of Science and Technology have a partnership working on joint scientific research projects, and Culture relationships with ‘Taiwan Season’ have been actively involved in Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe wining many cultural awards.
Agrees that the Chief Executive brings back a report on a potential memorandum of understanding to help foster the existing collaborations.
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