Established: 1961, under Mayor Lewis Cutrer
President: Philip Sun
Contact Information: PPSun@aol.com
About the Relationship:
Taipei was the first sister city to establish a sister relation with Houston and vise versa. In 1961 the Mayors of the two cities, Lewis Cutter and Chi-Jui Huang supported the idea and approved the linking of these two cities. The Houston-Taipei Society was incorporated and the Society’s charter authorized it to conduct exchange activities with Taipei on behalf of the citizens of Houston.
In 1976 the Society, on behalf of the City of Houston, accepted the Chinese Pavilion situated in Hermann Park as the Bicentennial year gift from the City of Taipei. The pavilion was dedicated by, at that time the Mayor of Taipei Lee Teng-Hui, who later became the first President in Taiwan political history to assume the office by winning the general election. In 1995, the Society refurbished this pavilion for the enjoyment of Houstonians.
To celebrate its fortieth anniversary the Society, in cooperation with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, co-sponsored a photographic exhibition titled “Images of Taiwan”. The Houston Taipei Society and the Taipei Economic and the Cultural Office in Houston invited all citizens of Houston to enjoy this exhibition to explore life and culture of the modern Taiwan. In May of 2005, the Houston Taipei Society, the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission in Taiwan organized a Taiwanese Folk Art Exhibition in the Houston Main Library to celebrate the Taiwanese American Heritage week. Items on display included handicrafts, puppetry and opera costumes unique to Taiwan, as well as, its traditional aboriginal attire. The art pieces and artifacts reflect Taiwan culture and customs of four hundred years, which still remain infused in the artistic creativity of modern Taiwan.
The forty-four years of friendship through exchanges in art, literature, and culture, as well as, business developments have made Houston and Taipei inseparable in terms of mutual benefit. During the past years, the close interactions of the two cities have benefited Taiwanese Houstonians who have made Houston their home. The Taiwanese culture and heritage have become more familiar to the Houstonians. The Houston Taipei Society will continue to play its role in bringing the two cities together through our long-time friendship.
Find out more about Taipei