On July 12 2017, eight exchange students from Taiwan studying at Case Western Reserve University met Mayor Frank G. Jackson, the mayor of Cleveland. The students learned about some of Mayor Jackson’s day-to-day duties as he runs the city. When asked why they wanted to meet him, the students responded, “We like to meet with the person in charge!” One student presented a gift to the mayor: small replicas of famous sculptures on display in museums in Taiwan.

Cleveland and Taipei have been sister-cities since 1978, and the State of Ohio and Taiwan have been sister-states since 1990. They promote and create cultural and commercial ties with each other. Taiwan was the 6th largest export market for Ohio in Asia in 2016.

Case Western Reserve University has helped facilitate the growing ties. The university has hosted many students from Taiwan over the past couple of years, fostering their skills and potential and it has helped create student organizations for them. It has also assisted other students from Taiwan to meet Mayor Jackson. In 2015, eight student athletes from Taiwan met with Mayor Jackson during their participation in the National Youth Sports Camp (NYSP) program, hosted by Case Western Reserve University. In 2016, another group of nursing students from Taiwan participated in a special Geriatric Nursing Education Program at the university and they were also given an opportunity to meet him.

Photo：Mayor Frank Jackson and the students.