Early in the morning of March 10, Legislative Yuan Vice President Dr. Johnny C. Chiang (江啟臣), accompanied by KMT Legislator Lo Ting-Wei, visited the Sydney Fish Market (SFM). They were received by SFM Operations Manager Gus Dannoun, who gave an introduction about the market’s operational model and facilities. He explained that the newly constructed market officially opened earlier this year and has been in operation for eight weeks. The new facility adopts a digitalized Dutch auction clock system and features a function-based layout, with wholesale trading, auctions, sorting, and retail activities each allocated to dedicated floors. Its open architectural design allows visitors in the upper retail area to safely overlook operations in the lower-level working areas. Following the tour, SFM CEO Daniel Jarosch personally extended a warm welcome to the delegation. He emphasized that the newly completed Sydney Fish Market is a world-class seafood logistics hub and expressed hope that, through such exchanges, Australia and Taiwan can share successful experiences in modern market management and spatial planning. The visit lasted approximately one and a half hours and concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts and a group photo.
Afterward, Vice President Chiang and Legislator Lo met with Barney Glover, Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA). Commissioner Glover first introduced the agency’s responsibilities and main areas of work, noting that JSA analyzes Australia’s labor market through big data to assess current employment conditions and forecast future trends, thereby providing forward-looking policy recommendations to the government. He also explained that, as a nation built on immigration, Australia’s Skilled Migration Program seeks to implement a demand-driven migration approach to address long-term labor shortages in key sectors such as healthcare, education, construction, and digital technology. Vice President Chiang responded by saying that Taiwan is currently facing similar labor shortages, and that Australia’s experience in managing immigration within a multicultural society offers valuable lessons for Taiwan. He also pointed out that Taiwan is deeply affected by declining birth rates, with some universities having to suspend enrollments due to insufficient student numbers, posing significant challenges to the nation’s long-term competitiveness and human resource planning. Vice President Chiang expressed his hope to further discuss potential solutions with Commissioner Glover. The two sides then exchanged views on issues including industrial mismatches, talent shortages, higher education transformation, and semiconductor education. The meeting lasted approximately one hour and concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts and a group photo.
Vice President Chiang and Legislator Lo then visited the Sydney Light Rail system, where they were welcomed by Duncan Edghill, CEO of ALTRAC, the system’s management company, and Annabel Castledine, Managing Director of Transdev, its operating company. CEO Edghill first introduced the development history and future vision of the Sydney Light Rail. He noted that, as a key public transportation system in Greater Sydney, the light rail has become an important driver of urban transformation. The urban renewal associated with the system has facilitated large-scale redevelopment along its routes. One of the most notable examples is the transformation of George Street—once the busiest thoroughfare in central Sydney—into a light rail-dedicated corridor, reshaping the city center’s urban landscape while improving traffic flow. Both sides also engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including urban planning, rail transit management, technological exchange, and public transportation services. Vice President Chiang also experienced the light rail simulator to gain a firsthand understanding of its operation and system management. The visit and related activities lasted approximately one hour and concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts and a group photo.
In the afternoon, Vice President Chiang and Legislator Lo visited the City of Ryde in northern Sydney and met with Mayor Trenton Brown. Mayor Brown warmly welcomed the delegation and introduced Macquarie Park, located within the city’s jurisdiction, noting that it is one of Australia’s earliest and most successful high-tech industrial parks. He explained that in recent years, the City of Ryde has actively engaged in exchanges with Taiwanese cities in the semiconductor and technology innovation sectors, and expressed hope to further expand comprehensive and substantive cooperation in the future. Vice President Chiang thanked the city government for sharing its development experience. He noted that he had previously served as chair of parliamentary friendship associations between Taiwan and countries such as the United Kingdom and Singapore, and has long been committed to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation through parliamentary diplomacy. He added that Taiwan and Australia, which has rich natural resources, are highly complementary economically. His hometown, Taichung City, also has a strong foundation in precision manufacturing, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) operates advanced manufacturing facilities there. He further noted that if both sides can integrate their respective strengths in hardware and software, Taiwan-Australia cooperation can be further strengthened in the future. Vice President Chiang also expressed his hope to maintain close contact with the City of Ryde government and continue exploring additional opportunities for cooperation. Both sides then exchanged views on the development vision of the industrial park and educational collaboration. The meeting lasted approximately one hour, followed by a commemorative gift exchange and a group photo.
Vice President Chiang’s parliamentary diplomacy itinerary in Australia was both rich and productive. The trip not only demonstrated the Legislative Yuan’s cross-party support for Taiwanese businesses overseas, but also yielded substantive results through extensive exchanges with Australian political leaders, think tanks, and industry representatives. It concluded successfully, marking a fruitful chapter in Taiwan’s parliamentary diplomacy. (2026/3/10)
