On June 23, President Daniel K.Y. Han (韓國瑜) of the Legislative Yuan led a cross-party delegation on the second day of its visit to the United States. Accompanied by Jason Poyuan Ma, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles, the delegation attended a breakfast meeting with Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) President and CEO Sandra Watson, and received a briefing on Arizona’s economic and business environment presented by Vice President Agnese Sturmane and Executive Vice President Ryan Ruiz.
Following Director General Ma’s opening remarks, President Han noted that this was the first visit to Phoenix for most members of the delegation and remarked that the warmth of the local people matched the city’s sunny weather. He then introduced Taiwan’s parliamentary system and noted that, since the beginning of the current legislative term, the Legislative Yuan has received more than 7,000 international visitors. President Han added that owing to the global attention focused on Taiwan, more than 2,000 journalists have registered to cover the Legislative Yuan. President Han further stated that Taiwan’s outbound investment, including the landmark TSMC Arizona project, has become a major focus of attention both at home and abroad. He noted that Arizona’s continued efforts to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan have likewise attracted international interest. President Han concluded by emphasizing that, in addition to its high-tech and semiconductor industries, Taiwan is home to numerous hidden champions among its small- and medium-sized enterprises that manufacture a wide range of products, and expressed his hope that Taiwan and Arizona would create even more opportunities for cooperation in the future.
Representing the Governor of Arizona, President Watson welcomed the delegation and described Taiwan as a trusted and valued partner. She noted that she has visited Taiwan many times since 2013 and has learned a great deal from Taiwan’s experience in promoting technological innovation. President Watson added that Arizona’s achievements have likewise benefited from the support of many international partners. She also stated that in 2025, Taiwan became Arizona’s second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$21 billion. President Watson mentioned that including TSMC’s US$165 billion investment project, approximately 200 Taiwanese companies have established operations in Arizona, creating more than 10,000 local jobs and reshaping the state’s economic landscape. She further noted that cooperation between Taiwan and Arizona spans semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and medical sciences, and expressed her hope that the partnership would continue to grow stronger.
The participating legislators conveyed feedback gathered during earlier discussions with representatives of Taiwanese businesses, covering issues such as workforce needs, the processing time for U.S. work visas, the investment environment, and supporting infrastructure. They also suggested that Arizona draw on Taiwan’s experience in developing science parks by having the government take the lead in comprehensive advance planning. President Watson responded to each of these issues in detail and pledged to continue improving Arizona’s investment environment in order to strengthen business confidence.
The breakfast meeting lasted approximately 80 minutes and was held in a candid and cordial atmosphere. Following the meeting, the delegation departed for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to continue its journey to Washington, D.C. During its stay in the U.S. capital, the delegation is scheduled to meet with members of the U.S. Congress, think tanks, overseas compatriot communities, and executive branch officials to exchange views on key issues including Taiwan–U.S. relations, regional security, technological cooperation, and economic development. The delegation will also attend the inaugural ceremony for EVA Air’s Taipei–Washington, D.C. nonstop flight, continuing its efforts to deepen Taiwan–U.S. friendship and cooperation across a wide range of fields through parliamentary diplomacy. (2026/06/23)
