New AIT Kaohsiung Director Meets Mayor, Receives Custom Vest

Lee Skluzak, the newly appointed director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Kaohsiung Branch, made his first official visit to Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai. During the meeting, Mayor Chen presented Skluzak with a custom-made Taiwanese-style vest, a gesture to welcome him to his new role.

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Taiwan and the United States have long shared values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights, and maintain close interactions in areas like economy, trade, technology, and the semiconductor supply chain. They are important and deeply cooperative partners.

The discussions between Mayor Chen and Director Skluzak, alongside AIT Political Section Chief Steven Jones, centered on the robust Taiwan-US relationship, the current international political and economic landscape, and Kaohsiung's ongoing urban development. Both leaders emphasized the shared values of freedom, democracy, and human rights that underpin the long-standing partnership between Taiwan and the United States.

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Kaohsiung has been actively promoting industrial and net-zero dual-axis transformation in recent years. Semiconductors, smart cities, and net-zero development are all important directions for the city's planning, and exchanges with various sectors in the United States are continuously expanding.

Mayor Chen highlighted Kaohsiung's strategic focus on industrial transformation and achieving net-zero emissions. He noted the city's key development areas, including semiconductors, smart cities, and green energy, and expressed eagerness to expand exchanges with various sectors in the US. Chen also thanked the AIT Kaohsiung Branch for its crucial role as a bridge for Taiwan-US interactions and conveyed his hope for enhanced cooperation in technology, education, culture, tourism, and trade during Skluzak's tenure.

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I also thank the American Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch for playing the role of an important bridge for Taiwan-US exchanges for a long time. I look forward to further expanding diversified cooperation in technology, education, culture, tourism, and economy during Director Skluzak's tenure, and continuously strengthening the substantive connection between Kaohsiung and the United States.

Director Skluzak expressed his gratitude for the warm reception by the Kaohsiung city government. He shared his positive impressions of Southern Taiwan's strong sense of community and the city's vibrant atmosphere since arriving to work in Taiwan. Skluzak looks forward to maintaining close communication with the Kaohsiung city government and advancing further collaborative initiatives between Taiwan and the United States.

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I also shared my deep impression of the strong human touch and city's enthusiasm in southern Taiwan after coming to Taiwan to work, and look forward to continuing close exchanges with the Kaohsiung City Government in the future to promote more Taiwan-US cooperation.