The 36th annual meeting of the North American Taiwan Chamber of Commerce Joint Association was held from June 20th to 24th in Flushing, Queens, New York City. Over 600 elite Taiwanese business leaders from across the United States and Canada gathered for the event. The organizers coordinated with the New York City government to “take over” Times Square for hundreds of Taiwanese business people to take a group photo.
The North American Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce serves as a crucial link between Taiwan and the United States and Canada in terms of economy, trade, and diplomacy. In early 2024, led by President Jiang Junlin, the association visited over 50 members of the U.S. Congress at the Capitol Hill, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. They also visited Canada and met with the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Mary Ng, and several Canadian senators and members of parliament.
President Jiang Junlin stated that the focus of this conference was on AI technology and economic issues. Several themed forums were held during the event, including forums on AI and art collections, Taiwan-U.S. business opportunities, tax seminars, and a selection of new startup stars. Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate Chuck Schumer and several members of Congress sent congratulatory letters. New York Congressmen Anthony D’Esposito, Julia Meng, Brandon Williams, as well as New York State Senator Chunyi Liu and Yiwun Qu, attended the event, highlighting the importance of the U.S. political community’s attention to the Taiwanese government and the significant impact of the chamber on strengthening and stabilizing Taiwan-U.S. relations.
Chairperson Hsu Chia-ching of the Overseas Community Affairs Council of the Republic of China expressed support for the board meeting and personally attended the daily activities, engaging enthusiastically with American officials on-site to further strengthen Taiwan-U.S. relations, leaving Taiwanese expatriates in North America feeling warm and moved.
During her speech, Chairperson Hsu Chia-ching thanked the North American Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce for its continuous efforts to assist Taiwan’s diplomacy and trade. She specifically called for strengthening lobbying efforts on important bills in the United States and Canada to help Taiwanese companies enter the U.S. market and promote in-depth exchanges between Taiwanese and American youth. Taiwanese expatriates at the event shouted “best chairperson in history” in response to her speech.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung specially made a phone call, urging Taiwanese businesses to support Guatemala, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, which faced a ban on importing coffee from China. To support this cause, the organizers arranged for a Taiwanese company specialized in importing Guatemalan coffee to have a booth at the venue to promote purchasing Guatemalan coffee, encouraging participants to strongly support and show solidarity with Taiwan’s diplomatic ally.
Jiang Junlin stated during the conference that the North American Taiwan Chamber of Commerce is not just a commercial platform but also a significant force in promoting Taiwan-U.S. exchanges and bilateral cooperation. Over the past year, the chamber has achieved remarkable success in various activities and initiatives, particularly in promoting the application of AI technology and enhancing economic cooperation. He further pointed out that the future applications of AI technology are limitless, urging everyone to seize this opportunity to promote the development of their own businesses.
The organizers expressed that the conference and surrounding meetings were a complete success, with participants engaging in in-depth discussions on business opportunities between Taiwan and the United States and sharing practical experiences and suggestions. Chen Shixiu, the Honorary President of the Dallas Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, will assume the position of President of the association, aiming to continue promoting exchanges and cooperation between the business and political sectors of Taiwan and the United States.
(*This article was provided by the North American Taiwan Chamber of Commerce Joint Association)