In a two-week expansion tour of the US and Mexico supply chain business opportunities, the “2024 US-Mexico Supply Chain Expansion Team” arrived in the United States on June 1st with Houston being their first stop. On the 4th of June in the morning at 10 o’clock, a meeting was held at the GREAT Houston Partnership where key figures such as the Director of the Dallas Trade Center, Lai Wen-yi, Vice President of the International Investment and Trade Committee of Greater Houston Partnership John Cypher, Chief of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Ni Bojia, Director of the Overseas Compatriot Education Center Wang Yingrong, Deputy Director of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council Wang Xinxiong, and the team leader Honda Cheng along with representatives from 15 Taiwanese companies in industries such as 5G, smart machinery, automotive parts, and electric vehicles, gathered with local business and community representatives.
John Cypher highlighted in his speech the focus of GHP on attracting, retaining, and developing leading global companies to create employment opportunities and enhance the region’s workforce and GDP. Ni Bojia mentioned that the main cooperation projects between Texas and Taiwan are concentrated in semiconductors and energy. He also referred to President Lai’s inaugural speech on May 20th, emphasizing the importance of Taiwan-Texas collaboration in the five major trusted industries, including semiconductors and AI. Additionally, the energy transition project remains a key area of strengthened cooperation. Taiwan plays a significant role in establishing the supply chain between the United States and Mexico, building commercial connections and enhancing the partnership between Taiwan and the United States based on the trend of the US economy moving towards the south.
Wang Xinxiong stated that in 2023, Texas was the second-largest state in the United States for imports from global and Taiwanese sources, with major imports including communication equipment, semiconductor components, and automotive parts. Moreover, Texas ranks second in terms of land area and population, making it a crucial gateway to enter the Central and South American markets and a key point in the North American supply chain. Industries such as automotive and electronics rely on global supplies for their raw materials and components, and with Texas being home to significant industrial clusters along the border, it is the preferred destination for Taiwan’s advantageous industries.
The 14-day itinerary of the delegation includes visits to Houston, Albuquerque in New Mexico, and Monterrey in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. Particularly in Monterrey, known as the Silicon Valley of Mexico, opportunities for expanding business development are abundant.
After each company’s presentation and introduction of their main products, China Airlines in Houston even offered a flight ticket as a lucky draw prize. The meeting saw local business representatives enthusiastically visiting each exhibition table, inquiring about products, and discussing potential business collaborations.