Alberto Rubio
Fifty guests from different areas of Spanish society and representatives of the Taiwanese community living in Spain attended the inauguration of the Taiwan stand at Fitur yesterday, during which Ambassador Vivia Chang encouraged them to discover its natural beauty “but also the friendliness and hospitality that we Taiwanese boast”.
Taiwan is presenting itself at this edition of the fair as “the heart of Asia” and recalling its historical past, which has linked it in a special way to Spain since the 17th century, when Spanish navigators settled in the north of the island. Testimonies of their presence are the forts of San Salvador and Santo Domingo, as well as the cape called Sandiajiao, transliteration of “Cape Santiago”.
During the five-day fair, Taiwan will offer calligraphy demonstrations and tastings of its wide variety of cuisine. It will also emphasise its respect for the environment to attract visitors interested in nature, to whom it offers a rich variety of fauna and flora, 272 peaks over 3,000 metres high and spectacular geographical features that make the island boast, said Chang, “no less than eight national parks and have been considered a mecca for mountaineers”.
To reinforce the environmental proposal, the Taiwanese bicycle brands Giant and Merida will be exhibiting their most innovative products focused on eco-tourism.
Night markets, hot springs, ecological cycling routes and a rich cultural diversity, including festivals of aboriginal tribes and religious rituals, are added to this offer, which, as the representative of Taipei in Spain concluded, is completed with “a free, plural and lively society that offers all its kindness to foreign visitors, making them feel at home in Taiwan and always welcoming them with open arms and an open heart”.
