Tainan: Tainan in southern Taiwan and the Philippine province of Aklan have officially established sisterhood ties to promote tourism and cultural exchanges, as well as encourage businesses to explore investment opportunities, the Taiwanese city announced Friday. The sister-city agreement was finalized on Aug. 27, formally establishing the partnership and opening a new chapter in bilateral relations, the Tainan City government said in a statement.

According to Focus Taiwan, the two sides had discussed formalizing sister city ties when Aklan Governor Jose Enrique M. Miraflores met with Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che during his visit to Tainan on Aug. 8. During the meeting, they exchanged in-depth views on culture, tourism, and industrial development. Huang noted that Tainan and Aklan are both major centers for agriculture and tourism, expressing hope that the partnership would foster continued exchanges and deepen bilateral relations.

Aklan is best known for Boracay and has two international airports, Miraflores said while he was in Tainan, adding that his province plans to participate in various international trade fairs in the Taiwanese city to showcase its unique attractions. Miraflores also noted the city's cleanliness and high level of civic discipline, expressing confidence in future cooperation.

According to the Tainan City government, Aklan in the central Philippines is a major province for agriculture and tourism, with a population of more than 600,000. It highlighted that Boracay is internationally renowned for its white-sand beaches and clear blue waters, while the Ati-Atihan Festival, held every January in Aklan's capital, Kalibo, is among the country's most iconic celebrations.