TITLE
Recommendation to approve the application of Taoyuan City, Taiwan as the City's newest Sister City, and authorize the Mayor of Long Beach to take necessary actions and execute any and all documents to accomplish the establishment of such a relationship.
DISCUSSION
Taoyuan City is a multi-ethnic metropolis located in northwestern Taiwan. With a population of over 2 million, the city is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Taipei, in northeastern Taiwan, and occupies 470 square miles. Taoyuan is home to Taiwan's largest airport and shipping giant Evergreen Marine Corporation. It boasts a colorful tapestry of cultures, a thriving economy and magnificent natural surroundings. Taoyuan developed from a satellite city of the Taipei metropolitan area to become the fourth largest metropolitan area, and fifth largest populated city in Taiwan.
In 2019, the Board of Directors of Sister Cities of Long Beach, Inc. (SCLB) was approached by a group of Taiwan nationals seeking approval to initiate the process of forming a Sister City relationship with Long Beach. At its June 13, 2019, board meeting, SCLB entertained a presentation by the group and subsequently authorized the establishment of a Long Beach-Taoyuan Sister City Formation Committee to explore opportunities for a meaningful global partnership between the two cities.
Data developed by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) shows that Los Angeles County is America's top international trade gateway to Taiwan and is Taiwan's top gateway to the United States. Los Angeles County has the largest Taiwanese population of any county in the nation and has the largest number of Taiwanese students of any county in the nation. California is Taiwan's #1 trading partner among the U.S. states, and Taiwan is California's 6th largest export market. One-quarter of U. S. Taiwanese immigrants reside in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metro area.
The Taoyuan Sister City Formation Committee work...
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