The new head of the American Institute in Taiwan's Kaohsiung branch paid his first call on Kaohsiung's mayor, a routine but friendly sign that US-Taiwan ties at the local level stay warm.

• Lee Skluzak, the new AIT Kaohsiung director, met Mayor Chen Chi-mai along with the branch's political chief.
• The two sides talked about US-Taiwan relations, the global political and economic picture, and Kaohsiung's development.
• Chen pointed to shared values and close ties in trade, tech, and the semiconductor supply chain, and gave Skluzak a custom Taiwanese-style vest.
• Kaohsiung is pushing industry upgrades and a net-zero shift, with chips, smart-city work, and clean energy as its main bets.
• Skluzak said he was struck by the warmth of southern Taiwan and wants to keep working closely with the city.

Outlook: Expect more US-Kaohsiung cooperation on tech, education, culture, tourism, and trade during Skluzak's posting.