The 51st Annual General Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) took place at McCormick Place, Chicago, from July 27 to 29. Bringing together 8,000 participants, the summit drew state senators and representatives from across all 50 U.S. states alongside international local council delegates. Keynote speakers featured Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker, and Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, widely recognized as the "Godfather of AI".
The Taiwan Councilors Forum (TCF) was the only Taiwanese professional organization invited to attend. This participation builds on a strong foundation of exchange--starting with former NCSL President Bruce Starr’s visit to Taiwan in 2014, and further strengthened by the visit of the 51st President, Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (Illinois State Representative, Democrat), late last year.
To represent the Forum in Chicago, TCF President Chin-Yen Tsai (Kaohsiung City Councilor) and Founder/Permanent Honorary President Chin-Chang Lin (six-term former Taipei City Councilor) specially appointed Secretary-General Professor José Chiu-C. Chen to attend the summit. Prof. Chen delivered TCF’s event invitations to NCSL leadership and international delegates.
During the conference, Prof. Chen met with Director General Dennis Yen-Feng Lei of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago. Arranged by the organizers, Prof. Chen also held bilateral talks with NCSL leadership, including incoming President Barry Usher (Montana State Senator, Republican), incoming President-elect Bob Duff (Connecticut State Senator, Democrat), Honorary President Wayne Harper (Utah State Senator and Speaker Pro Tempore), as well as the current and incoming Chiefs of Staff.
During the talks, Prof. Chen extended a warm invitation to the incoming leadership team to visit Taiwan for the "10th Asian Councils Forum (ACF) Conference and the Inaugural Meeting of the Global Councils Forum (GCF)." Invitation documents were presented in person, followed by a photo session. In turn, the incoming NCSL President presented TCF with an NCSL 50th-anniversary commemorative folio.
Since its founding in 2010 by Founder and Permanent Honorary President Chin-Chang Lin, the Taiwan Councilors Forum (TCF) has maintained active exchanges through regular annual meetings. On June 8, 2024, TCF, alongside the Japan Councilors Forum (JCF) and the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), signed a charter at GANKO Mansion House (Shinjuku Yamano Aikotei) in Tokyo, Japan, officially establishing the Asian Councils Forum (ACF).
The ACF established its permanent secretariat in Manila, Philippines. PCL National President Raul R. Corro was named the first ACF President, with TCF and JCF serving as Vice Presidents for a three-year term. The next leadership election will take place at the upcoming ACF annual conference in December 2026.
Building on the ACF’s successful launch, TCF has continued advancing the international cooperation vision proposed by its founder in 2014--connecting local councilors across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia to form a global democracy network. This initiative led to the "Global Councils Forum (GCF)" preparatory meeting in Taipei in November 2025. Subsequently, the "10th Asian Councils Forum Conference and the Inaugural Meeting of the Global Councils Forum" is scheduled to take place from December 11 to 14, 2026, at the New Taipei City Government Auditorium.
The theme of the TCF conference is "Regional Revitalization and AI Adaptations," highlighting the vitality of local governance and Taiwan's growing status as a global "technology island." Co-organized with the New Taipei City Council and the New Taipei City Government, the summit will feature interactive exhibition booths hosted by outstanding regional revitalization teams and government agencies recognized for innovative AI applications. Policy officials, international experts, and benchmark teams will deliver keynote addresses, while cross-party councilors participate in dynamic panel discussions. Coinciding with the celebrated New Taipei City Christmasland, the annual meeting aims to connect local communities to the global stage, showcase Taiwan to the world, and promote New Taipei City to all attendees.
Drawing inspiration from NCSL’s 50-year legacy--where corporate sponsors, think tanks, and NGOs actively host booths to present public service solutions and exchange policy idea--TCF has integrated these successful practices into its summit design. The conference will feature diverse formats, including a "Ministerial Forum, International Forum, Legislator Forum, Youth Forum, Site Visits, and Agency Visits." Addressing key policy topics and equipped with real-time AI translation services, the event will provide an accessible, barrier-free exchange platform for all domestic and international participants.
TCF remains deeply committed to fulfilling its founding mission. Highlighting its long-standing efforts, the Forum was honored on October 30, 2020, with the "Outstanding Contribution Award for Civil Society Organizations" in the Public Policy category by the Department of NGO International Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
To enrich the global network of its Annual Conference, TCF warmly invites delegations and individual representatives from local councils across Taiwan--including county, city, and township councils--as well as capital city councils worldwide. Through these exchanges, TCF aims to bridge local governance with the Asian Councils Forum (ACF), expand democratic practices, build a global alliance of local legislators, and establish Taiwan as a vibrant hub for international organizations.
資料來源：亞洲經濟通訊社
