Taipei, Nov. 28 (CNA) An organization of eight northern Taiwan cities is pursuing greater development through regional cooperation and initiated a dialogue with cross-strait counterparts in a forum Tuesday.
Led by Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, the Northern Taiwan Development Commission (NTDC) held two panel discussions on metropolis integration with representatives from the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Nanking and Suzou.
The NTDC was initiated by Taipei City in 1998, established in 2004 and consists of Taipei City, Taipei County, Keelung City, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Miaoli County and Yilan County.
"Facing the competition of globalization, no city can afford to think about itself only. Only an integrated metropolitan economy will be able to embrace the challenges of the future," Ma said.
The discussions reviewed cases surrounding the integration of China's Yangtze River Delta, which comprises 16 cities, and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) in the U.S. state of California.
The Yangtze River Delta integration began in 1996 with 15 cities and later expanded to 16, said Lin Xiang, director of Shanghai's Office for Cooperation and Exchange Affairs.
After 10 years of hard work, the region -- which takes up one percent of China's territory and six percent of its population -- now accounts for a quarter of annual national revenues and is one of China's fastest growing regions, Lin added.
The NTDC hopes for similar results through regional collaboration and believes Northern Taiwan is capable of achieving that goal.
Northern Taiwan has become the most important region in the nation, Ma said, noting it boasts global marketshares of more than 70 percent of laptop computers and more than 30 percent of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.
Led by Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, the Northern Taiwan Development Commission (NTDC) held two panel discussions on metropolis integration with representatives from the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Nanking and Suzou.
The NTDC was initiated by Taipei City in 1998, established in 2004 and consists of Taipei City, Taipei County, Keelung City, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Miaoli County and Yilan County.
"Facing the competition of globalization, no city can afford to think about itself only. Only an integrated metropolitan economy will be able to embrace the challenges of the future," Ma said.
The discussions reviewed cases surrounding the integration of China's Yangtze River Delta, which comprises 16 cities, and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) in the U.S. state of California.
The Yangtze River Delta integration began in 1996 with 15 cities and later expanded to 16, said Lin Xiang, director of Shanghai's Office for Cooperation and Exchange Affairs.
After 10 years of hard work, the region -- which takes up one percent of China's territory and six percent of its population -- now accounts for a quarter of annual national revenues and is one of China's fastest growing regions, Lin added.
The NTDC hopes for similar results through regional collaboration and believes Northern Taiwan is capable of achieving that goal.
Northern Taiwan has become the most important region in the nation, Ma said, noting it boasts global marketshares of more than 70 percent of laptop computers and more than 30 percent of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.