First Foreign Head of State Visits Flora Expo: President of Nauru and Wife Listen to the Sound of Flowers Blooming

Taichung Flora Expo continues to draw crowds, with visitor numbers surpassing 3 million; yesterday (the 9th) it welcomed its first foreign head of state, President H.E. Baron Divavesi Waqa of the Republic of Nauru, an ally of our country, and his wife, who visited the Houli park and were personally received by Mayor Lu Shiow-yen. While watching the performance of the world's largest mechanical flower, "Listening to the Sound of Flowers Blooming," President Waqa even took out his phone to record a video. Mayor Lu Shiow-yen also offered birthday wishes to President Waqa and welcomed children from Nauru to come and see the beauty of the Flora Expo.

Mayor Lu Shiow-yen received President H.E. Baron Divavesi Waqa of the Republic of Nauru and his wife during their visit to the Flora Expo, and presented gifts including a Taiwan red-painted ceramic vase, a Lake Heart Pavilion lacquerware box, and a mountain cherry lacquer tray, as well as Flora Expo pastry gift boxes to members of the Nauruan delegation, promoting Taichung's specialty pastries. Also present were Deputy Mayor Ling-hu Jung-da, Secretariat Director Yen Nai-lun, Information Bureau Director-General Wu Huang-sheng, Houli Forest Park Director Chi Ying-tsun, Ambassador Chien Tzu-chu of the Republic of Nauru, our country's Ambassador to the Republic of Nauru Chou Chin-fa, and Director-General Cheng Jung-chun of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Department, among others.

President Waqa of Nauru and his party also visited the Forest Park's "Discovery Pavilion," experiencing the warm humidity of an estuary and the chilly atmosphere of the Xueba Mountain forest, as well as the Orchid Hall at the Horse Ranch Park's Flower Dance Pavilion, where they learned about the ecology and survival methods of Taiwan's native orchid species and the history of industrial cultivation technology development.

Mayor Lu Shiow-yen also told President Waqa that the Taichung Flora Expo Forest Park embodies the concept of coexistence between humans and nature. In addition to showcasing Taiwan's agricultural achievements, it has preserved all of the original more than 1,500 trees, creating a beautiful park. The Taichung Flora Expo runs until April 24, and children over 12 years old from around the world are welcome to visit for free. She also looks forward to children from the Republic of Nauru coming to see the beauty of the Flora Expo.