The Asia Pacific Cities Summit wrapped up Sept. 11 in southern Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City, with participating mayors signing a joint statement on strengthening cooperation for better urban management and development.
“The three-day event achieved great success across the public and private sectors, with mayors, business leaders and young professionals conducting broad and in-depth discussions and sharing experiences of urban development,” Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu said during the closing ceremony.
“Following the World Games in Kaohsiung City in 2009, the APCS has created another international participatory opportunity for Taiwan and opened an important channel for exchanges among cities in the region. The event’s success is a milestone for Kaohsiung, demonstrating the city’s outstanding merits as a convention center for Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region.”
Chen and Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk, the host of the next APCS, took turns to read out a joint statement in Mandarin and English. Signed by 48 participating mayors, the statement highlighted elements crucial to the success of a city, including establishment and optimization of urban management systems; positive planning for environmental challenges; a business-friendly and attractive environment; city-corporate partnership; development of culture, creativity and the media; and cultivation of future generations of city leaders.
Themed “Reshaping the Urbanomics of Cities–City Challenges, City Solutions,” the APCS drew participants from 104 cities in the region. Chen said the event also generated abundant business opportunities, with 93 business workshops held and NT$2.51 billion (US$84 million) of trade deals signed.
Launched in Brisbane in 1996, the biennial APCS is recognized as one of the premier forums for fast-tracking international city networks and new business relationships in Asia-Pacific cities. It is a leading communication platform for regional issues and a generator of market cooperation between local government and business sectors. (RC-SDH)
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