Founded in 1961 the Houston-Taipei Society (HTS) is part of the national governing organization, Sister Cities International. We are a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation consisting of individuals who have interests in promoting the art, business, education and cultural exchange between Taipei, Taiwan and Houston, Texas.

The sister cities concept began in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed linking American cities with cities in other countries to exchange people, ideas and cultures. President Eisenhower’s goal was to involve individuals at all levels of U.S. society in citizen diplomacy in the hope that these people-to-people relations would increase mutual respect and understanding between cultures. The Mayor’s Office of Trade and International Affairs has been tasked with managing the City of Houston’s Sister City program and relationships on behalf of the mayor.