Sip Bubble Tea and Win Gold as Zhongli Station Commercial District Transforms into a New Southeast Asian Cultural Landmark

The highly anticipated “Zhongli Hi! Southeast Asian Bubble Tea Lifestyle Festival” kicked off on Sept. 12 in the Zhongping Road Pedestrian Precinct in Zhongli District, Taoyuan, drawing enthusiastic crowds. The venue was packed, with long lines forming at many popular specialty stalls.

The event not only showcased the strong momentum behind the transformation of the Zhongli Station commercial district, but also marked a significant milestone in the Taoyuan City Government’s strategy to revitalize the area by building on its distinctive Southeast Asian cultural identity.

The Taoyuan City Government’s Department of Economic Development noted that the Zhongli Station commercial district was once one of Taoyuan’s most prosperous commercial hubs. Although the district has faced challenges in recent years as consumer habits have evolved, it possesses a unique asset that other commercial districts across Taiwan cannot easily replicate: a rich Southeast Asian cultural atmosphere shaped over the years by immigrant communities from across the region.

In recent years, the city government has actively promoted its “One Commercial District, One Distinctive Character” policy. With cultural marketing at its core, the Zhongli Station commercial district has successfully established a distinctive identity centered on the message, “Come to Zhongli and experience Southeast Asia.”

Deputy Mayor Ming-ju Wang said in his opening remarks that the strong turnout demonstrated that the city government’s approach to transforming the district was on the right track. He emphasized that the Bubble Tea Lifestyle Festival was far more than a one-off event; it represented the first step in revitalizing the Zhongli Station commercial district.

Looking ahead, Wang said, the city government will continue to invest resources and deepen its efforts to develop the area into a distinctive Southeast Asian cultural and lifestyle district.

The event featured two main themed areas along the Zhongping Road Pedestrian Precinct: the International Cuisine Welcome Zone and the International Cultural and Creative Arts Zone at the main stage. A total of 38 specialty stalls took part in the festival.

Among them, the eye-catching Seven-Country Bubble Tea Zone quickly became a popular photo spot on social media. All 300 limited-edition International Bubble Tea Vouchers sold out shortly after the event began.

In addition, 12 multicultural performance groups took the stage with a vibrant program. From a spectacular Indonesian Barong dance and elegant Vietnamese folk dances to energetic performances by Thai singers and traditional performances from Myanmar, the program gave audiences a taste of a Southeast Asian holiday.

The event also featured hands-on cultural workshops where visitors painted Vietnamese conical hats, created Indonesian batik crafts, and made Malaysian crescent-moon kites. Other popular workshops, including Taiwanese bubble tea candle-making and bubble tea soap-making, were also fully booked.

To coincide with the festival, participating businesses in the Zhongping commercial district launched a special spending promotion. Visitors who made purchases at market stalls and collected four stamps received an NT$200 shopping voucher.

The vouchers could be used at 24 participating businesses in the commercial district and could also be exchanged for raffle tickets. The grand prizes are three miniature egg-shaped prizes made of 999-fine gold, and the raffle campaign will run through the end of September.

The Department of Economic Development said Taoyuan’s commercial districts are diverse, ranging from urban shopping areas to distinctive districts rich in cultural heritage, with each demonstrating strong vitality.

The city government has long provided revitalization subsidies for commercial districts, helping local business associations plan development initiatives, organize distinctive events, and improve their surroundings in pursuit of the “One Commercial District, One Distinctive Character” goal.

Looking ahead, the city government will continue to invest resources, connect local businesses, and strengthen Taoyuan’s multicultural brands, inviting people from across Taiwan to visit Taoyuan and experience the unique appeal of its commercial districts.