TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) unveiled a suite of forward-thinking public health initiatives at the Taipei International City Forum on Friday (May 16), positioning Taiwan's capital as a laboratory for urban wellness solutions. The high-profile gathering drew approximately 150 municipal officials and representatives from cities across the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, and Europe, underscoring growing international interest in Taipei's approach to urban health governance.
During his keynote address, Mayor Chiang detailed three cornerstone health initiatives reshaping daily life in the metropolis of 2.6 million residents. These include a program offering 30 minutes of complimentary access to YouBike, the city's bike-sharing network; a weekly milk distribution program for elementary school students; and the development of technologically advanced community sports facilities. The mayor emphasized that the YouBike program simultaneously promotes physical activity and provides an environmentally friendly transportation option for short urban trips. Municipal technologists have created a sophisticated real-time monitoring system to track bicycle availability during rush hours. The program has yielded impressive results, with daily YouBike usage surging 51% from 126,000 to 191,000 rides, and approximately one-fourth of current users citing the free-ride policy as their motivation for adoption.
The innovative milk distribution initiative leverages Taiwan's ubiquitous convenience store network alongside the EasyCard (悠遊卡) payment system, which most residents use for public transportation. This integration creates a sophisticated infrastructure for student identification verification, inventory management, and temperature-controlled distribution. City planners envision expanding this framework to eventually deliver nutritional supplements to expectant mothers and critical supplies during emergencies. Meanwhile, construction is underway on multiple neighborhood sports facilities throughout Taipei's administrative districts, featuring cutting-edge fitness technologies and architectural designs that accommodate users of all physical abilities.
In his concluding remarks, Mayor Chiang emphasized that technological and policy innovation represents the cornerstone of effective modern urban administration. The 43-year-old mayor, who took office in December 2022, articulated his administration's commitment to creating an equitable city where residents of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and gender identities can access resources that promote physical wellbeing, happiness, and personal freedom in Taiwan's increasingly dynamic capital. ◼