IEAT Celebrates 80th Anniversary with First-Ever Sustainable Co-Good Carnival, Mayor Chiang Praises Economic and Social Impact

The Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei (IEAT) celebrated its 80th anniversary with the inaugural Sustainable Co-Good Carnival held on August 8 at the Taipei Hakka Cultural Park. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an attended in person to extend congratulations, joining representatives from trade institutions and chambers of commerce from eight countries—United States, Czech Republic, Hungary, Brunei, Nigeria, Japan, Poland, and South Korea—alongside heads of city government departments and member enterprises. The event attracted over 3,000 participants, showcasing the international cohesion of Taiwan’s trade sector.

The gathering of eight international economic partners and more than 1,000 member companies with their families transformed the Hakka Cultural Park into a vibrant international trade community. Mayor Chiang praised IEAT for its long-standing support in helping businesses expand overseas and enhancing Taipei’s global competitiveness. Last month, the city government co-hosted the second Taipei Urban Industry Business Matching Conference with IEAT, inviting 20 U.S. state governments to focus on cutting-edge industries such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, smart healthcare, and drones. He emphasized plans to establish a long-term, stable mechanism for city-to-city cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S.

Mayor Chiang also commended IEAT’s 58 years of charitable work, noting that over the past decade, its donations of funds and supplies have benefited more than 30,000 people. He shared Taipei’s initiatives, including providing fresh milk to schoolchildren, offering free nutritious lunches for elementary and middle school students, and implementing reduced working hours without salary cuts to support dual-income families in picking up their children earlier.

Chiang stressed that the city government will continue public-private collaboration with IEAT to support vulnerable groups while promoting industrial growth, ensuring that economic development and social care advance hand in hand to build a happier, more livable Taipei.

IEAT Vice Chairman Lin Hong-ming stated that the association’s 6,700 member companies employ over 650,000 workers, impacting millions of families. This first-ever carnival aimed to strengthen member unity and allow employees, families, and international partners to celebrate the 80th anniversary together.

Lin highlighted that IEAT members are not only pillars of Taiwan’s international trade but also committed to corporate social responsibility. The association has sustained charitable initiatives such as military appreciation programs for over half a century, successfully transforming trade-driven economic energy into social goodwill.

The event featured a lively market with food trucks, musical performances, member company booths, family-friendly experiences, and raffles. Booths from member companies and social welfare organizations invited families and children served by NGOs to participate, bringing corporate philanthropy directly to the public.

IEAT pledged to continue connecting enterprises, government, and social welfare groups to promote mutual prosperity and shared social good among members. The association aims to ensure that Taiwan’s trade industry strength is reflected not only in economic figures but also as a sustainable, warm force in society.