Taiwan Representation Hosts Israeli National Day with Mayors to Boost Tech Trade

TAIPEI — To celebrate Taiwan’s National Day, the Representative Office in Israel hosted a reception in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening, drawing eight Israeli mayors who attended to offer their congratulations. The mayor of Tainan was also invited to participate, representing the sister-city relationship between Tainan and its counterparts in Israel. The event concluded in a warm atmosphere, with both sides reaffirming their consensus on friendship and cooperation.

Due to diplomatic isolation on the international stage, Taiwan lacks formal embassies and consulates and instead establishes "representative offices" in various countries to maintain unofficial diplomatic relations. Although Israel has not officially recognized Taiwan, the two sides have built a robust unofficial relationship. Established in 1992, the Representative Office in Israel has become Taiwan’s most critical diplomatic window in the Middle East, responsible for fostering cooperation across multiple dimensions, including trade, technology, and culture. This reception further highlighted the office’s pivotal role in promoting bilateral relations.

Among the eight Israeli mayors invited to the reception, in addition to the mayor of Tainan, were the mayors of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, demonstrating the attention placed on Taiwan by local governments in Israel. In his speech, the mayor of Tainan noted that Tainan and Tel Aviv have been sister cities since the 1980s, with multiple collaborations already established in the fields of culture, tourism, and agriculture. Attendees raised their glasses in a toast, symbolizing the continued development of friendly relations between the two cities.

Representative Li Ya-ping emphasized in her address that the relationship between Taiwan and Israel is "close and enduring." She pointed out that the two sides have built deep industrial ecosystems in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and medical technology, and are actively expanding bilateral trade. According to the latest statistics, bilateral trade volume has surpassed $1.2 billion, with the proportion of high-tech products exported from Taiwan to Israel rising year by year. Li also mentioned that more industrial matching programs will be promoted in the future to further enhance the competitiveness of both sides in innovative technologies.

This initiative is not only a manifestation of friendship between the two sides but also carries strategic implications. Taiwan’s position in the global technology supply chain is becoming increasingly important, while Israel serves as a representative of the "nation of innovation." Cooperation between the two in areas such as research and development, military technology, and agricultural technology provides Taiwan with greater diplomatic and economic flexibility on the international stage. Such activities also send a signal to the international community that Taiwan remains actively engaged in international affairs, which is of significant importance for maintaining Taiwan’s international space.

In summary, the National Day reception held in Tel Aviv not only deepened the friendly relationship between Taiwan and Israel but also further consolidated the foundation of cooperation between the two in the fields of technology and trade. As the industrial ecosystems and trade volumes between the two continue to expand, Taiwan’s influence on the international stage will continue to rise. (Source: Central News Agency)