President Lai receives Tennessee governor

2025/10/27

President Lai Ching-te said Oct. 21 that Taiwan is committed to expanding cooperation and promoting industrial advancement with Tennessee to further consolidate the Taiwan-U.S. partnership.
 
Lai made the remarks while receiving Tennessee Governor Bill Lee at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. He took the opportunity to thank Lee and Tennessee’s General Assembly for their longstanding support for Taiwan’s international participation, citing Lee’s signing of Taiwan-friendly resolutions over the last five years.
 
Taiwan sees Tennessee as a key site for global development, which is evidenced by the tech industry’s establishment of artificial intelligence server manufacturing facilities in the U.S. state, Lai said. Taiwan also aspires to link its crucial industries such as AI, national defense, next-generation communications, security and surveillance, and semiconductors with Tennessee’s strong production and innovation capacity, he added.
 
According to the president, Taiwan and Tennessee signed a memorandum of understanding on economic and trade cooperation during Lee’s visit. The pact will boost bilateral collaboration in innovation, research and development in the fields of electric vehicles, high-tech manufacturing and new energy, he said, further welcoming Lee’s decision to set up a Tennessee office in Taiwan.
 
Lee said in response that Tennessee recognizes the importance of Taiwan in the world, which has been expressed through legislative procedure and signed gubernatorial proclamations. The world and the U.S. see Taiwan as a strategic partner to the U.S., he added, praising its growing economy and noting the incredible potential in expanding bilateral partnerships.
 
The governor reaffirmed his state’s commitment to opening an office in Taiwan and said he looked forward to further cultural exchanges between the two sides. 

Source:  Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)