Ambassador Kattil presents Mayor Hou with a Marshallese hand-woven seashell necklace.

Anjanette Kattil, Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the Republic of China (Taiwan), visited New Taipei City Mayor Yu-Ih Hou today (29th). Both sides engaged in profound exchanges on topics such as Austronesian cultures, youth development, and climate change. They expressed hope to foster a closer and more sustainable partnership based on their enduring friendship.
 
Mayor Hou stated that Ambassador Kattil is a long-term cordial partner of Taiwan and New Taipei City—she personally witnessed the historic moment when New Taipei City and Jaluit Atoll established a sister city relationship in 2019. Mayor Hou also remarked that both Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are home to Austronesian peoples and share deep cultural ties. He thanked the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands for its active participation in various indigenous activities, the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, and the International Youth Talent Development Program in New Taipei City in recent years. Last month, the embassy also chose to hold an event for Nuclear Victims' Remembrance Day (NVRD) at the New Taipei City Youth Station (NTPC Youth Station) to enhance young people's understanding of and concern for environmental justice and sustainable development.


Mayor Hou presents a New Taipei City commemorative gift box to Ambassador Kattil.

In response to climate change and environmental challenges, Mayor Hou stressed that New Taipei City and the Marshall Islands both face severe impacts such as rising sea levels. As early as 2019, New Taipei City became the first in the country to incorporate "sustainable development" into the sister city cooperation framework. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue sharing New Taipei City's practical experience in disaster prevention and relief, smart cities, and green energy under their sustainable partnership. Additionally, he aims to co-develop environmental adaptation strategies with the Marshall Islands to bolster substantive bilateral cooperation. Mayor Hou also thanked the ambassador for her steadfast support of Taiwan and extended sincere congratulations in advance on the eve of the Marshall Islands' Constitution Day.
 
Ambassador Kattil stated that more than diplomatic allies, the Marshall Islands and Taiwan are also close partners culturally. She expressed special thanks to the New Taipei City Government for its support of the NVRD event, which enabled the historical memory of the Marshall Islands to resonate powerfully with the younger generation in New Taipei. She commended New Taipei City's efforts in preserving indigenous culture and organizing multicultural festivals. Moreover, she wishes to further promote exchanges and dialogue between Austronesian artists and New Taipei's indigenous communities in the future, so that the friendship between both sides can continue to deepen and take root in the coming generation.

New Taipei City Government officials, including Siku Yaway, Commissioner of the Indigenous Peoples Department; Marcia Chiu, Commissioner of the New Taipei City Government Youth Department; and Ying-Chang Li, Chief Secretary of the Secretariat, accompanied the mayor in receiving the ambassador.
 

A group photo taken to commemorate the visit.