TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Pingtung signed a friendship agreement with the New Zealand city of Rotorua on Wednesday (Aug. 7) that commits both parties to deepening cooperation in areas including promoting Indigenous culture.

The signing was conducted online by Pingtung Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米), Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell, and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Auckland Representative Chen Yung-shao (陳詠韶), per CNA.

After the signing, Chou said it was especially significant that the agreement was signed under the leadership of two women. She noted that she and Tapsell became the first female and the first female Maori mayors to lead their constituencies when they were elected.

New Zealand’s Indigenous Maori, and Pingtung’s Indigenous Paiwan and Rukai are all connected by their Austronesian languages, Chou said. Austronesian-speaking people are believed to have begun migration from Taiwan between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago, and now live throughout Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.

Tapsell said that nearly 40% of Rotorua’s population is Māori, and that they share a connection with Taiwan’s Indigenous people. She said she visited Taiwan in March, where she was impressed by the similarity of carving styles between Rotorua and Pingtung’s peoples.

Tapsell said she hopes the agreement will facilitate in-depth discussions about preserving native languages in New Zealand and Taiwan. She also said she would encourage students from Rotorua to visit Pingtung to develop the connection between the two areas.

Chou said that Rotorua and Pingtung also share thermal attractions. Pingtung is home to the Sichongxi Springs, while Rotorua is famous for its geothermal activity which draws many Taiwanese tourists, she said.