Chiayi City GovernmentChiayi City Government

Selected as role model mayor for 2 years running by CommonWealth Magazine – Mayor Min-hui Huang led winning team of Outstanding Governance Awards north for awarding ceremony   November 14, 2024 Tourism and Information Department           The satisfaction toward Min-hui Huang as the Chiayi City mayor has been recognized yet again. CommonWealth Magazine has announced the result of 2024 Survey on Satisfaction of County and City Heads’ Governance as well as the winners of the Outstanding Governance Awards. Mayor Min-hui Huang succeeded as the top among other local heads in governance. The City Government entered projects to participate in the Outstanding Governance Awards. There are 2 projects selected in Economic Growth Group and 1 qualified in Social Progress Group. Huang headed north to the awarding ceremony held today. She stressed that the motivation of the City Government is support and trust from the citizens. The City Government will build Chiayi City as a city of sustainable development for people to live in reassuringly for generations. Huang is grateful for CommonWealth Magazine and the support from the citizens. It is the honor and long-term effort of the city to receive the award today, Huang mentioned. It is the responsible media which backs up the democracy of Taiwan that makes Chiayi City noticeable. Chiayi City has come this far with limited resources. The civil evaluation system reminds the City Government to review policies and to propose solutions for enhancing the competitiveness. There were 196 project entries to the Outstanding Governance Awards this year, and only 21 of them were selected. Among the 21 entries, 13 are from the special municipalities and 2 from Chiayi City. It was in the meanwhile a good opportunity to learn from each other. Huang does not take the credit as the top among other local heads in governance. She stressed that happiness and satisfaction of the citizens are the goal of the City Government aims to achieve. The City Government values economic development, social progress and environmental protection. We keep on learning to realize the vision of developing a city as a place suitable for people of all ages with new mindset to achieve sustainability. She recalled the invigoration when Chiayi City ranked first in the Happy City of Economic Daily News in 2020. She felt that happiness could only be achieved after putting effort. Huang believes that all the cities in Taiwan are great and that governance requires hard work. Taiwan will get better and better with the democratic spirit.         Chiayi City has become a popular city for young people to move in in recent years with the “New Life in Old City – Sparking New Charms of the City” project, according to the judges. Chiayi City has attracted young people to return home to start businesses with the strategies of diverse consultancy and place revitalization. Talent is nurtured through the subsidy to local small business innovation research as well as consultancy of professionals. The judges recognized the renovation projects for East Market and West Market to drive the changes of the city.         Young people around Taiwan gather in Chiayi for the innovation of the industry. “Chiayi Youth” makes Chiayi City a base for young people around Taiwan to realize their dreams. It allows them to come up with solutions to the issues of the city, which displays the innovative mindset in youth nurturing and local development. The base for young people to realize their dreams was built thanks to the resources from different departments and the policies of the Central Government. Non-governmental organizations and units of education are connected with limited budget to attract young people. Complete consultancy for young people supports the system to drive local development by the participation.         The Survey on Satisfaction of County and City Heads’ Governance was conducted by CommonWealth Magazine during July 12 to August 25 though phone calls. The results were announced on September 30 with the rankings: role models, outstanding, excellent, and keeping up. The poll accounts for 90% if the survey results this year with 10% from the evaluation of the judges. The 2024 Outstanding Governance Awards had 196 entries: 80 for Social Progress Group, 55 for Economic Growth Group, and 61 for Environmental Protection Group. The judges selected 21 outstanding projects: 3 as top prizes, 16 excellent works and 2 innovation prizes.

Chiayi City budgets 10 million Taiwanese dollars for young people on business starting for 4 years – Mayor Min-hui Huang: We fulfill their dreams to attract more people to Chiayi   November 21, 2024 Economic Affairs Department / Tourism and Information Department           Aside from the improvement in business services, Chiayi City Government initiated the subsidy project for young people to start businesses in 2021 in the ever-changing industrial environment. The project has assisted 45 business starting teams for the past 4 years. Chiayi City Government held the presentation of the 2024 Chiayi City Young Entrepreneur Subsidy project at Far Eastern Department Stores today. Min-hui Huang the mayor attended the presentation to witness the achievements of the 12 teams this year.         Young people are the power which drives the city to progress, said Huang. The City Government dedicates to the platform for business consultancy to in order to assist young people. Besides the system of tracking and consultancy, Chiayi City Government also provides funding supports and resource matching. There has been 10 million Taiwanese dollars in total expended for the subsidy in 4 years to help the business teams overcome challenges in the early phase. Huang also appreciates the support of the City Council for young people to pursue their business dreams.         There are 45 business teams have formed thanks to the business subsidy project, Huang mentioned. More and more young people keep bringing out new proposals to build connections with business corporations. The professionals offer guidance to their projects to help the teams start businesses with the subsidy of funding. Local companies and stores are connected for the subsidy project that covers diverse professions including the Internet and video making. We hope to drive regional revitalization and to create the future for young people to return home for businesses.         The City Government budgets 2.5 million Taiwanese dollars for the subsidy every year, according to Chang-pei Tien the director of Economic Affairs Department. There are over 60 teams which send in proposals every year. The professional judges also recognize the energy of Chiayi City in business starting for young people. The categories cover professions regarding gourmet, digital technology and the creative industry to show the creativities of young people in Chiayi City. Organic Solidarity Integrated Marketing Co., Ltd., for example, dedicates to creating friendly environment to the film and television industry. It drives the communications within the city on cultures and video making to promote Taiwanese cultures to the world. Kajinn Izakaya combines the features of Chiayi into Japanese atmosphere to create a whole new experience of a meal. They have successfully created a unique space for gatherings. Every story of starting a business is a silhouette of hard work and courage from ideas to execution with challenges. They are woven as a new brand of Chiayi City’s friendly environment for business starting.         Chen-yu Chang from Organic Solidarity Integrated Marketing Co., Ltd. shared his dream to promote local history and culture through video making. He appreciates Huang the mayor and the City Government for implementing the project of video making assistance which allows him to promote Chiayi City with the government. The couple Po-yu Chan and Ching-hsi Wu of Kajinn Izakaya shared their story of opening a store on the 4-month preparation including the employee training. It is even harder when it comes to adjustment and communication within a team. They appreciate the City Government for offering all sorts of resources to make the store possible.

National Business Person Festival returns in Chiayi after 11 years – Mayor Min-hui Huang presents local souvenirs of Chiayi City to wish sustainability in business   November 1, 2024 Economic Affairs Department / Tourism and Information Department           2024 National Business Person Festival took place at Nice Prince Hotel today, building up the platform of exchange for the industries of Chiayi City to other domestic industries. Congratulating, Min-hui Huang the Chiayi City mayor attended the event and appreciated Chiu-yung Hsiao the director of Chiayi City Chamber of Commerce and Kuo-chou Tsai the director of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce for inviting top business people to Chiayi. Huang anticipates more enterprises to notice the potential of Chiayi City for investment.         The economic miracle of Taiwan depends on the small and medium-sized enterprises to enhance the strength of the industry, Huang said. The small and medium-sized enterprises have great contribution to national trade, environmental sustainability and the society. The enterprise representatives stand out in their own professions to establish their core spirits. They vale brand marketing and customer service to make all sorts of business activities progress toward diversity and innovation. They drive the thriving development in economy of Taiwan. Huang appreciates Chiu-yung Hsiao the director of Chiayi City Chamber of Commerce for calling upon the participants in National Businessman Festival held in Chiayi again after 11 years. More people are able to notice the development in Chiayi City. Huang is thankful for the outstanding business people that gathered in Chiayi to show the resilient spirit as business people in Taiwan.         The annual turnover of the profit-seeking enterprises in Chiayi City has annual growth for 5 consecutive years, Huang mentioned. It made history in reaching 289.8 billion Taiwanese dollars in 2023, and the number of hotel users in Chiayi City went over 2.14 million with a 16% growth compared to 2022. The total amount of registered receipts exceeded 830 million Taiwanese dollars during Chiayi City Shopping Festival this year with a 10.5% growth compared to last year. It is noticeable that business activities in Chiayi City are thriving. Aside from investment in Chiayi, people are welcome to International Band Festival, to be held in Chiayi City at the end of this year, to experience the charming culture and the warm hospitality of Chiayi City.         Huang specially presented local souvenirs of Chiayi City to the guests of the event as the mayor, said spokesperson of Economic Affairs Department. The souvenirs are superb as well as sustainable in response to sustainable development of the globe. The City Government has been proactively publicizing Net-zero and reduction of carbon footprint. The packaging of the souvenir is designed as a locomotive for it drives the development of Chiayi as a symbol for the guests to thrive in business. The guests can reassemble the souvenirs as a train model for display loaded with great memories of the trip in Chiayi. Displaying sustainability and creativity, the train could also serve as a toy for the children at home.