(The Center Square) – New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will lead a trade mission in Taiwan next week.
The governor will meet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua, and manufacturing companies interested in doing business in New Mexico.
Lujan Grisham will speak at U.S. Business Day on September 19, a business and economic development event in Taiwan sponsored by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council.
The governor’s delegation will offer presentations on the state’s business climate, workforce and logistical advantages of its international border zone at the event. Additionally, the governor plans to meet individually with Taiwanese public officials and business owners.
Expanding global trade is among Lujan Grisham’s chief economic development plans, according to a press release.
Last year, New Mexico and the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs signed an Memorandum of Understanding to promote closer trade relations.
“New Mexico has the ideal economic climate to attract global businesses, including in Asia,” Lujan Grisham said. “I see great potential to strengthen the partnerships we have already established in Taiwan, bringing continued stability and economic opportunity to all our citizens.”
Amino Chi, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in LA, praised New Mexico for its friendship with Taiwan in the release.
“We cherish the long-lasting friendship between Taiwan and New Mexico,” Chi said in the release. “This is the second visit to Taiwan for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and some other delegates, and we hope that the two parties will further strengthen bilateral collaborations in economic development, trade, and energy.”
New Mexico’s Economic Development Department opened a foreign trade office in Taiwan in 2019. Since then, several Asian companies have expanded to New Mexico.
Notably, Singapore-based Maxeon Technologies announced last month that it will locate its lone manufacturing plant in the United States in Albuquerque. Plus, Taiwan-based Admiral Cable and label-printing company Cymmetrik expanded to Santa Teresa in recent years.
“Gov. Lujan Grisham pledged $30 million in state money to improve infrastructure along the New Mexico side of the international border, and she is advocating for additional funding from the federal government for improvements at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, where commercial crossings continue to increase,” the release explained. “The state has also committed to paying for a new border highway extension to cut commute times for those working in Santa Teresa.”
Members of the New Mexico delegation traveling with the governor to Taiwan include: Chief of Staff Daniel Schlegel, Director of Communications Maddy Hayden, Senior Advisor for Global Trade & Infrastructure Joseph De La Rosa, former Economic Development Department Secretary Alicia J. Keyes, New Mexico Partnership President Melinda Allen, and President and CEO of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance Davin Lopez.
Ethan Chen, the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s foreign trade representative in Taipei, will also be present.
The governor’s office plans to release more information about the trip’s logistics later in the week.
