Taiwan’s Lunar New Year Goodwill Mission wows UST audience in Manila

The Taiwan Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) brought a vibrant celebration of culture and friendship to Manila through its 2026 Lunar New Year Goodwill Mission Asia Tour, featuring the Taiwan Acrobatic Troupe of the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts.

Held at the historic University of Santo Tomas (UST), the performance drew around 500 guests, including representatives from TECO and MECO, members of the Taiwanese community, and UST faculty and students.

Under the theme “The Vibrant Taiwan,” the show combined traditional acrobatics, violin performance, contemporary dance, and multimedia visuals. Audiences were captivated by gravity-defying feats such as diabolo spinning, tumbling, cycling stunts, and aerial acrobatics, earning enthusiastic applause throughout the evening.

Representative Wallace Minn-Gan Chow of TECO said the goodwill mission highlights Taiwan’s commitment to cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchange. UST Secretary General Rev. Fr. Louie R. Coronel welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the university’s support for intercultural dialogue, while MECO Director Brigitte D. Villaluz underscored the importance of sustained Philippines–Taiwan cultural cooperation.

Founded in 1990, the Taiwan Acrobatic Troupe is Taiwan’s only government professional acrobatic performance group and has represented Taiwan in numerous international tours. The Manila event, held in partnership with UST and community organizations, further strengthened the longstanding cultural ties between Taiwan and the Philippines.

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