On April 15, the Kaohsiung City Government signed a sister-city agreement with Orange County, New York, making Kaohsiung the first sister city of Orange County. The signing ceremony, held virtually on the evening of April 15 (Taiwan time), saw Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai and Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, each leading their teams, sign the sister-city agreement, witnessed by Branch Chief Neil H. Gibson of the Kaohsiung Branch Office of American Institute in Taiwan and Ambassador Tom Chih-Chiang Lee of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. Mayor Chen noted that the two sides first connected through the Smart City Summit & Expo and expressed hope that the new partnership would lead to closer cooperation across diverse fields, demonstrating tangible achievements in city-to-city exchanges between Taiwan and the United States.
Orange County is the fifth-largest county in New York State, home to the renowned United States Military Academy at West Point. It was also the first county in the state to be certified as a Climate Smart Community, with strong commitments to sustainability and smart governance. The origins of the partnership date back to March 2025, when County Executive Neuhaus visited Taiwan for the Smart City Summit & Expo. During his visit, he held in-depth discussions with Kaohsiung Deputy Mayors Lin Chin-jung and Lee Huai-jen on smart city development and digital innovation, while touring key municipal projects such as the Intelligent Transportation Center and the Kaohsiung Music Center. Both sides expressed a strong interest in long-term collaboration.
“This is an important moment for Kaohsiung and Orange County, and also a step forward in strengthening Taiwan–U.S. relations,” said Mayor Chen in his remarks. He emphasized that both Kaohsiung and Orange County are working towards building smart cities and advancing net-zero transitions. He voiced confidence that the partnership will create more opportunities for trade, economy, and cooperation in diverse fields, while boosting the development, application, and competitiveness of smart city technologies. In particular, he stressed that exchanges on crisis response and management, especially in the face of climate-related disaster risks, would help both sides strengthen the resilience and efficiency of urban governance.
“I fell in love with Kaohsiung the moment I arrived!” said Orange County Executive Neuhaus, who warmly recalled his deep impression of Kaohsiung during the visit. He introduced Chairman Kevin Hines of the Orange County Legislature and members of his delegation, while expressing gratitude to Ambassador Lee for facilitating the sister-city agreement. Neuhaus highlighted that both Orange County and Kaohsiung have much to learn from each other across multiple fields and pledged to leverage his influence to contribute to stronger Taiwan–U.S. relations.
During the signing, Branch Chief Gibson of the Kaohsiung Branch Office of American Institute in Taiwan attended in person as a witness. In his remarks, Gibson said he was honored to witness the newest sister-city partnership between Taiwan and the U.S., adding that the agreement would serve as a foundation for bilateral cooperation. He looked forward to future exchanges between Kaohsiung and Orange County in culture, education, economy, and crisis response. Ambassador Lee also expressed his honor in joining the ceremony, noting his hope for in-person exchanges soon and pledging full support from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.
Orange County is Kaohsiung’s 42nd sister, friendly, and partner city. Director-General Chang Yen-ching of the Department of Administrative and International Affairs said that Kaohsiung has been actively expanding international city partnerships, enhancing its global visibility, and fostering enduring friendships and collaboration through exchanges in diverse fields.