Taipei City Receives Special Award at 2026 Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, Mayor Chiang Attends Ceremony in Singapore

Taipei City has been awarded the 2026 'Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize' Special Award, often referred to as the 'Nobel Prize for Cities.' This marks the first time a city from Taiwan has received this prestigious honor. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an departed tonight from Taoyuan International Airport with a municipal team of over ten members, heading to Singapore to receive the award and participate in international forums and city exchange activities.

At a press briefing before departure, Mayor Chiang expressed his honor in representing Taipei at the ceremony. He recalled announcing this good news to citizens back in March and emphasized that Taipei stood out among major global cities to win this recognition. He extended heartfelt thanks to all former mayors, city government teams, civil servants, and citizens for their long-term dedication and collaborative efforts that made this achievement possible.

Mayor Chiang stated that beyond attending the forum, the trip offers an opportunity to share Taipei's concrete municipal achievements over recent years with leaders from major cities worldwide, including mayors from London and Budapest, fostering mutual learning and exchange. The delegation will also engage in substantive discussions with the Singapore government, including a visit to the Punggol Digital District to study how Singapore integrates transportation, energy, and IoT systems through its Open Digital Platform (ODP) across ministries and departments.

The team also plans to visit the Singapore National Stadium to learn about strategies for promoting concert-driven economic growth. Despite the tight schedule, Mayor Chiang expressed hope that this visit will not only showcase Taipei's accomplishments but also lay the groundwork for future practical collaborations.

In response to a reporter's question about Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang's comment that the award reflects the cumulative achievements of past mayors, Mayor Chiang acknowledged that municipal governance is a relay race. He reiterated his gratitude to all former mayors, city officials, and citizens, emphasizing that civil servants' contributions must not be overlooked. This honor, he said, belongs to everyone, and the current administration will build upon this foundation to continue advancing Taipei and enhancing its global visibility.

When asked about Shen's call for direct debate and responses to public concerns raised during the campaign, Mayor Chiang responded that the city government faces various municipal issues daily and consistently addresses them with explanations and concrete actions. He added that the administration remains open to constructive suggestions from all parties.