Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, is set to visit Texas this week to participate in an artificial intelligence forum and advocate for increased trade and investment ties between the tech powerhouse and the United States.
The trip comes as Taiwan looks to secure its economic interests and find common ground on tariffs after a U.S. import duty of 32% on Taiwanese goods was put on hold by President Donald Trump for 90 days last month.
Accompanied by a delegation including representatives from the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association, Lin will address the Taiwan-Texas AI Summit on Friday.
The visit is positioned as part of President Lai Ching-te’s broader strategy to expand Taiwan’s economic footprint in the U.S. and reinforce bilateral ties.
Taipei has pledged to ramp up purchases of American goods and boost investments stateside in hopes of achieving a more balanced trading relationship, following the tariff reprieve.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the strategic importance of deepening cooperation with both the United States and Texas, stating that the visit aims to lay the groundwork for mutually beneficial partnerships in a number of economic and trade areas.
The diplomatic mission follows recent commitments from Taiwanese companies to invest in U.S. manufacturing. Last month, contract electronics giant Inventec announced plans to allocate up to $85 million for new production facilities in Texas, signaling a concrete move toward expanded bilateral economic cooperation.
