The Village of Bartlett is proud to be a sister city to  Miaoli City, Taiwan. The Sister City Program, administered by Sister Cities International, was initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to encourage greater friendship and understanding between the United States and other nations through direct personal contact. Members of the Bartlett International Chorus and the Chicago Hakka Blue Shirts Chorus fostered just the type of relationship envisioned by Eisenhower when they visited Miaoli City in March of 2010.

Referred to as “The Mountain City” because of its stunning vistas, Miaoli City is 14.63 square miles and is located at the north-central part of Taiwan, a region surrounded by mountains, scenic rivers and bountiful plains. Some of the mountainous regions reach 2850 meters (4,350 feet) in elevation.

The area where Miaoli City is located was once home to a prehistoric people. Miaoli City was a township before its incorporation as a  city in 1981. Today, it  has a population of more than 91,000 and is the capital of Miaoli County,

Over the past decades, Miaoli City has seen considerable growth and has become a hub for public transportation in Taiwan. It is also a center for business and culture as well as politics and policy initiatives.

Education is important in Miaoli City. The city has 15 schools, including eight elementary schools, three junior high schools, one senior high school, and three vocational high schools. The three vocational high schools are similar to preparatory schools in the United States, with a focus on commercial, agriculture, and special education. In addition to all the schools, Miaoli City is also home to The National Lien-Ho University, which is currently the only national university in the county.

Miaoli City is also rich in arts and culture. The city shows its cultural pride by promoting many celebrations and annual traditions. One of the major celebrations is the “Folk Street-Stepping Dragon.” Every year the streets are flooded with people from across the nation who watch the ceremony that consists of constructing a long dragon, enshrining the dragon, saluting it, blasting it, trailing it and finally raising the incarnated dragon into the sky. In Miaoli City, the dragon symbolizes good fortune and holiness, and this celebration has created many business opportunities for the restaurant and agriculture industries in the area.

The Village of Bartlett is honored to have Miaoli City, Taiwan as its Sister City.