(Taipei, Taiwan) The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) marked an important milestone in the shared history of Taiwan and Guam in celebrating the 50th anniversary of a significant sister city agreement.
Guam signed the sister city agreement with Taipei City on January 12, 1973 by the island’s first elected Governor Carlos Camacho and then Taipei Mayor Chang Feng-hsu. Overall, this is the third sister city agreement that was signed between Taipei City and the United States.
Led by GVB President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez, a small delegation from Guam traveled to Taipei to host a special gala that brought together more than 80 Taiwanese government officials, travel trade, international media, airline partners, and tourism industry experts.
“This golden anniversary of our sister city agreement with Taipei City is a celebration of Guam’s role in diplomatic relations and cultural ties with the Taiwanese people over the last several decades,” said GVB President & CEO Gutierrez. “We are proud to reconnect with Taiwan as we seek to expand opportunities that go beyond tourism.”
Inalåhan Mayor Anthony Chargualaf, Humåtak Mayor Johnny Quinata, and Mayors’ Council Executive Director and Guam Department of Education Board Member Angel Sablan were also invited to be part of GVB’s mission to share ideas and learn about projects in culture, business, education, tourism and other fields that could stimulate new opportunities of growth for the island. They also conducted a special presentation at the 50th anniversary event.
“We thought, what can we bring to the Taipei government to signify this event of the sister city signing in Guam 50 years ago?” said Mayors’ Council Executive Director Sablan. “I looked at our files and I found the resolution signed by the mayors of Guam, back then called commissioners, and the mayor of Taipei – the late Chang Feng-hsu. We proudly presented the documents that were signed 50 years ago to the Taipei government at the gala and put a seal from the Mayors Council of Guam that indicates that we want to go another 50 years. Of the 24 people that signed these documents, only four are alive today. But I can tell you their DNA are in these documents. So, they are alive in these documents and they will always be alive because their DNA is here.”
The Guam delegation also met with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which is essentially the US embassy in Taiwan, and members of the Taipei City government to discuss economic opportunities that mutually benefit Taiwan and Guam.
“After 50 years, lots of things have changed but only one thing has remained unchanged and that’s our friendship as well as our intentions to work together to further strengthen our bilateral relations,” said Taipei City Government Counselor of International & Mainland Affairs Gordon C.H. Yang. “I would like to express our appreciation for the Governor of Guam to offer representation here in Taipei from the Guam Visitors Bureau through the Guam Taiwan Office. We look forward to moving our relations beyond tourism and travel to other areas such as economic and cultural activities, agriculture trade, medical support and even regional security.”
AIT pitches for direct flights to Guam
AIT Acting Deputy Director Brent Omdahl also pitched to airline partners during his remarks at the gala event to bring back direct service to Guam. He stated the benefits would be immense to include new business in Taiwan’s agricultural exports that could bring fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and other products into the US market through Guam.
“Outside of Asia, the United States is the number one destination for Taiwan travelers. About 16% of international travelers from Taiwan travel to the United States. Many of those in the past have gone to Guam. Unfortunately, since the pandemic hit that direct flight to Guam has taken a back seat,” said AIT Acting Deputy Director Omdahl. “There’s nothing more that could be done to improve trade relations, to improve tourism, to improve investment and really as Gordon mentioned, improve the security situation in the Asia Pacific than for a direct flight to be re-established between Taipei, Taiwan and Guam.”
Omdahl noted direct flights would be an economic benefit to deepen medical tourism opportunities from travelers coming from Guam and other locations in the United States that seek medical care.
Charters scheduled for Chinese New Year
With active discussion of resumption of direct air service to Guam on the table, Taiwanese travel agents Spunk Tours, Phoenix Travel, and Lion Travel worked with airline partner Starlux to schedule four direct charter flights to Guam for the Chinese New Year.
The charters will begin on January 20, 2023 and will bring over 700 travelers from Taiwan to Guam.
Officials from Guam and Taiwan to commemorate the 50th anniversary celebration. (L-R) Guam Taiwan Office, Senior Advisor Gennie Yen, International Affairs Commission Taichung City Government Deputy Executive Director Cheng-Hui Jen, Bureau of Foreign Trade MOEA Deputy Director General William Liu, Department of Information and Tourism Taipei City Government Deputy Commissioner Chiu-Huo Shiue, Taipei City Government International Affairs Counselor Gordon Yang, Guam Visitors Bureau President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez, American Institute in Taiwan Acting Deputy Director Brent Omdahl, Mayor of Inalåhan Tony Chargualaf, Mayor of Humåtak Johnny Quinata, Mayors Council of Guam Executive Director Angel Sablan, Tourism Bureau MOTC Deputy Director of International Affairs Division Yi-Shu Huang, and Taoyuan City Government Secretariat International Affairs Division Executive Officer Helen Chang.
The Mayors Council of Guam give a special presentation for the 50th anniversary gala of the Guam Taipei Sister City agreement.
GVB President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez presents a gift from Guam to Deputy Mayor of Taipei City Shu-Chuan Lee during a meeting on January 12, 2023, the 50th anniversary of the Guam-Taipei sister city agreement signing.
GVB President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez gives welcoming remarks at the 50th anniversary gala for the Guam-Taipei sister city agreement.
Attendees of the 50th anniversary celebration take a group photo during the gala opening.
Guam signed the sister city agreement with Taipei City on January 12, 1973 by the island’s first elected Governor Carlos Camacho and then Taipei Mayor Chang Feng-hsu. Overall, this is the third sister city agreement that was signed between Taipei City and the United States.
Led by GVB President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez, a small delegation from Guam traveled to Taipei to host a special gala that brought together more than 80 Taiwanese government officials, travel trade, international media, airline partners, and tourism industry experts.
“This golden anniversary of our sister city agreement with Taipei City is a celebration of Guam’s role in diplomatic relations and cultural ties with the Taiwanese people over the last several decades,” said GVB President & CEO Gutierrez. “We are proud to reconnect with Taiwan as we seek to expand opportunities that go beyond tourism.”
Inalåhan Mayor Anthony Chargualaf, Humåtak Mayor Johnny Quinata, and Mayors’ Council Executive Director and Guam Department of Education Board Member Angel Sablan were also invited to be part of GVB’s mission to share ideas and learn about projects in culture, business, education, tourism and other fields that could stimulate new opportunities of growth for the island. They also conducted a special presentation at the 50th anniversary event.
“We thought, what can we bring to the Taipei government to signify this event of the sister city signing in Guam 50 years ago?” said Mayors’ Council Executive Director Sablan. “I looked at our files and I found the resolution signed by the mayors of Guam, back then called commissioners, and the mayor of Taipei – the late Chang Feng-hsu. We proudly presented the documents that were signed 50 years ago to the Taipei government at the gala and put a seal from the Mayors Council of Guam that indicates that we want to go another 50 years. Of the 24 people that signed these documents, only four are alive today. But I can tell you their DNA are in these documents. So, they are alive in these documents and they will always be alive because their DNA is here.”
The Guam delegation also met with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which is essentially the US embassy in Taiwan, and members of the Taipei City government to discuss economic opportunities that mutually benefit Taiwan and Guam.
“After 50 years, lots of things have changed but only one thing has remained unchanged and that’s our friendship as well as our intentions to work together to further strengthen our bilateral relations,” said Taipei City Government Counselor of International & Mainland Affairs Gordon C.H. Yang. “I would like to express our appreciation for the Governor of Guam to offer representation here in Taipei from the Guam Visitors Bureau through the Guam Taiwan Office. We look forward to moving our relations beyond tourism and travel to other areas such as economic and cultural activities, agriculture trade, medical support and even regional security.”
AIT pitches for direct flights to Guam
AIT Acting Deputy Director Brent Omdahl also pitched to airline partners during his remarks at the gala event to bring back direct service to Guam. He stated the benefits would be immense to include new business in Taiwan’s agricultural exports that could bring fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and other products into the US market through Guam.
“Outside of Asia, the United States is the number one destination for Taiwan travelers. About 16% of international travelers from Taiwan travel to the United States. Many of those in the past have gone to Guam. Unfortunately, since the pandemic hit that direct flight to Guam has taken a back seat,” said AIT Acting Deputy Director Omdahl. “There’s nothing more that could be done to improve trade relations, to improve tourism, to improve investment and really as Gordon mentioned, improve the security situation in the Asia Pacific than for a direct flight to be re-established between Taipei, Taiwan and Guam.”
Omdahl noted direct flights would be an economic benefit to deepen medical tourism opportunities from travelers coming from Guam and other locations in the United States that seek medical care.
Charters scheduled for Chinese New Year
With active discussion of resumption of direct air service to Guam on the table, Taiwanese travel agents Spunk Tours, Phoenix Travel, and Lion Travel worked with airline partner Starlux to schedule four direct charter flights to Guam for the Chinese New Year.
The charters will begin on January 20, 2023 and will bring over 700 travelers from Taiwan to Guam.
Officials from Guam and Taiwan to commemorate the 50th anniversary celebration. (L-R) Guam Taiwan Office, Senior Advisor Gennie Yen, International Affairs Commission Taichung City Government Deputy Executive Director Cheng-Hui Jen, Bureau of Foreign Trade MOEA Deputy Director General William Liu, Department of Information and Tourism Taipei City Government Deputy Commissioner Chiu-Huo Shiue, Taipei City Government International Affairs Counselor Gordon Yang, Guam Visitors Bureau President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez, American Institute in Taiwan Acting Deputy Director Brent Omdahl, Mayor of Inalåhan Tony Chargualaf, Mayor of Humåtak Johnny Quinata, Mayors Council of Guam Executive Director Angel Sablan, Tourism Bureau MOTC Deputy Director of International Affairs Division Yi-Shu Huang, and Taoyuan City Government Secretariat International Affairs Division Executive Officer Helen Chang.
The Mayors Council of Guam give a special presentation for the 50th anniversary gala of the Guam Taipei Sister City agreement.
GVB President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez presents a gift from Guam to Deputy Mayor of Taipei City Shu-Chuan Lee during a meeting on January 12, 2023, the 50th anniversary of the Guam-Taipei sister city agreement signing.
GVB President & CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez gives welcoming remarks at the 50th anniversary gala for the Guam-Taipei sister city agreement.
Attendees of the 50th anniversary celebration take a group photo during the gala opening.
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