This content is sponsored by TAITRA.
The United States and Taiwan celebrated their unique collaboration and diplomatic ties through an exciting event that spanned three days in Washington, D.C.
It was the first-ever Taiwan Expo USA, which was held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.
The event showcased Taiwan’s technological strengths and rich culture, including products and services from more than 80 Taiwanese companies.
“This means a lot for Taiwan because the United States is our most important partner and ally,” said James Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), which hosted the event.
TAITRA is Taiwan’s foremost nonprofit trade promoting organization, which helps companies expand their global reach.
Headquartered in Taipei, TAITRA has a team of 1,300 specialists and operates five local offices in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung as well as 63 branches worldwide.
“We brought the best of Taiwan’s technology, business solutions, arts and culture to the United States for this expo so that the American people can appreciate the beauty of Taiwan’s landscape and the success story of Taiwan,” said Huang.
‘The best of the best’
The Taiwan Expo USA featured 10 themed pavilions covering products and services across several areas including “smart healthcare.”
Visitors had a chance to see how artificial intelligence can enable healthcare, telemedicine and medical imaging.
There was also a “metaverse” pavilion, which aimed to expand consumer awareness of that cutting-edge technology and its potential through immersive, interactive experiences.
Other pavilions at the expo focused on 5G internet, smart cities, smart vehicles, aerospace technology and Taiwanese culture and food.
“We gathered together the finest companies in Taiwan to showcase the best products, solutions and technologies,” said Huang. “We brought out the best of the best.”
Taiwan has been ranked as the top fully democratic country in Asia, according to the “Democracy Index” published by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
It listed Taiwan as 8th out of 165 countries and two territories around the world.
Specifically in Asia, Taiwan came in first ahead of its closest rivals of South Korea and Japan, which were ranked 16th and 17th, respectively.
The index ranks countries based on criteria such as electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation and political culture.
It demonstrates Taiwan’s strong bonds in democracy with the western world.
“The message here is that Taiwan is the United States’ most reliable and most trustworthy partner,” Huang said.
Thought leaders speak out
The D.C. expo included two forums where numerous thought leaders had a chance to deliver remarks and lead presentations.
One of the forums was about “smart mobility,” an issue that is currently having a revolutionary impact on the car industry.
“With information and communication technology being Taiwan’s most vital industry, we have become an indispensable partner in the U.S. smart mobility supply chain,” expo organizers said in a statement.
The other forum was focused on “medical innovation,” which included remarks from former Taiwan Vice President Chen Chien-jen.
Global demands on supply chains in the biotechnology industry for vaccines, medicine and tests have been on the rise largely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Smart healthcare has become a crucial instrument in maintaining effective and high-quality healthcare, while lowering costs for governments worldwide,” organizers said.
Biden administration weighs in
The administration of President Joe Biden sent representation to the expo, with U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago delivering remarks following the opening ceremony.
“We’re committed to fostering cooperation between our industry leaders,” Lago said.
Lago told expo visitors that Taiwan has an “outsized importance” to the American economy both as a trading partner and as a fast-growing source of direct investment into the United States.
“A case in point is that Taiwan sent a robust delegation to attend our in-person 2022 SelectUSA Investment Summit,” Lago noted.
The summit, which took place in June in National Harbor, Maryland, was a high-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment in the United States.
It provided an opportunity to bring together companies, economic development organizations and other parties working to facilitate business investments.
Lago said that the U.S. and Taiwan working together have the potential to bolster resiliency in critical supply chains, protect digital spaces, combat climate change, innovate next generation technologies and forge a “dynamic and sustainable future.”
“Both the United States and Taiwan draw strength from our partnership and we share an enduring commitment to protecting our shared values and interests, our prosperity and our economic security,” Lago said.
