Han Kuo-yu Leads Delegation to Washington D.C.; Legislative Yuan Expects Exchange with U.S. Executive Branch

(CNA) Taipei, June 24 -- The Legislative Yuan stated today that Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu, leading a cross-party delegation of legislators, will head to Washington D.C. after a breakfast meeting with Arizona Commerce Authority Director Sandra Watson on the 23rd. During their stay in Washington D.C., the delegation is expected to engage in exchanges with the U.S. Congress, think tanks, overseas Chinese communities, and the executive branch.

The Legislative Yuan issued a press release stating that Han Kuo-yu led the cross-party delegation on the second day of their U.S. visit on the 23rd. Accompanied by Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, Ma Po-yuan, they had a breakfast meeting with Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) Director Sandra Watson. Deputy Director Agnese Sturmane and Executive Deputy Director Ryan Ruiz provided the delegation with a business briefing on Arizona.

Han Kuo-yu stated in his speech that most members of the delegation were visiting Phoenix for the first time and felt the warmth of the people, which was as warm as the weather. He noted that Taiwan's business investment trends, including the iconic TSMC Arizona fab, are a focus of attention, and Arizona's continued strengthening of its cooperative relationship with Taiwan is also receiving international attention.

Han Kuo-yu pointed out that in addition to high-tech semiconductors, Taiwan has numerous small and medium-sized enterprises that are hidden champions producing various products, and he hopes to create more cooperation opportunities with Arizona in the future.

Watson stated that Taiwan is a trustworthy and valuable partner. She has visited Taiwan multiple times since 2013 and has learned much about the direction of innovation and technology promotion from Taiwan. Arizona's success has also been aided by many international partners. By 2025, Taiwan has become Arizona's second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$21 billion.

Watson noted that including TSMC's US$165 billion investment, approximately 200 Taiwanese companies have currently invested in Arizona, providing tens of thousands of jobs and reshaping Arizona's economic landscape. The areas of cooperation between Taiwan and Arizona include semiconductors, AI, and biomedical fields, and she hopes to continue strengthening the bilateral partnership.

The Legislative Yuan stated that the participating cross-party legislators helped reflect the opinions of Taiwanese businesses, including talent needs, speed of U.S. work visa applications, the investment environment, and related infrastructure. They suggested that Arizona learn from Taiwan's experience in establishing science parks, with the government taking the lead in preliminary planning, which received specific responses from Watson. She pledged to continue assisting in improving the investment environment and enhancing business confidence.

The Legislative Yuan stated that after the breakfast meeting, the delegation immediately departed for Washington D.C. by plane. During their stay in Washington D.C., they are expected to engage in exchanges with the U.S. Congress, think tanks, overseas Chinese communities, and the executive branch, broadly exchanging views on important issues such as Taiwan-U.S. relations, regional security, technological cooperation, and economic development. They will also attend the inaugural flight ceremony of EVA Air's Taipei-Washington D.C. route, continuing to deepen Taiwan-U.S. friendship and cooperation in various fields through congressional diplomacy. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 06/24/115