Taiwan mayor touts chip leverage after 10-day Europe visit

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) returned to Taiwan on Monday (June 15) after a 10-day visit to Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria, declaring the trip "very smooth and successful" while framing her outreach as an effort to "find a way out" for Taiwan amid its difficult international position.

Lu landed at Taoyuan International Airport at 1:25 p.m. with a delegation that included Deputy Mayor Huang Kuo-jung (黃國榮) and other senior officials. "Taiwan's international situation is very difficult, so I hope that through each trip abroad, I can find a way out for our country, for Taiwan," Lu told reporters.

The city government said the trip focused on engaging democratic partners, visiting friendly cities, and expanding international markets across seven cities including Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Baden and Vienna. In Austria, Lu met Friday with Carmen Jeitler-Cincelli, the mayor of Baden and a member of the Austrian parliament, to discuss city governance and tourism.

That evening, Lu attended a ceremony where Chang Li-li (張麗莉), a Taichung native, was installed as world president of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) for 2026-2027 — the first woman of Chinese heritage to hold the position in the organization's 75-year history. "As a female leader, seeing outstanding women shine in various fields makes me incredibly proud," Lu said. Taichung will host a FIABCI trade event in September.

On Saturday, Lu toured the Austrian parliament in Vienna and attended a dinner with overseas Taiwanese, where she emphasized Taiwan's semiconductor industry as a source of international leverage. "Taiwan is a chip kingdom," she said. "Through chips, we can speak and exchange, which gives our country a foothold in the international arena."

The Europe trip followed Lu's visit to the United States in March. Lu said her international outreach, including earlier trips to Japan and Singapore, aims to expand Taiwan's circle of friends. "Basically, everyone we set out to visit, we were able to meet," Lu said.

The city government said Taichung's precision machinery industry has long-standing ties with German, Czech and Austrian counterparts, and has helped local businesses participate in European trade shows. Lu's departure was announced just one day before she left, on June 5, which local media described as unusually low-key. The city government did not disclose the cost of the 10-day trip. ◼