President Lai Ching-te received a delegation led by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy at the Presidential Office March 21 in Taipei City, pledging to deepen bilateral engagement and exchanges with the U.S. state to create prosperous development for both sides.
Alaska has long been an important trading partner for Taiwan, Lai said, adding that the two sides have built close cooperation in areas spanning energy, fisheries and tourism since 1988. Taiwan is Alaska’s eighth largest export market and ninth largest source of imports, he noted, and expressed interest in buying Alaskan natural gas.
The president went on to say that Taiwan is committed to strengthening collaboration with the U.S. to jointly build non-red supply chains to bolster economic resilience and drive global technology advancement. He also took the opportunity to thank the U.S. government for reiterating the importance of cross-strait peace and stability and its opposition to any attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion.
In response, Dunleavy reaffirmed that Taiwan is a friend of the U.S. and Alaska. The like-minded partners share much in common as they are both democracies and members of the Pacific family, and they both believe in freedom and free speech, the governor said, further stressing that energy is key to the two sides’ economic development, national security and friendship.
During his trip to Taiwan, Dunleavy joined Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei in witnessing the signing of a letter of intent by CPC Corp., Taiwan and Alaska Gasline Development Corp. March 20 in Taipei City. Inked by CPC President Michael Chang and his counterpart Frank Richards, the LOI states that the CPC will purchase liquefied natural gas and participate in the Alaska LNG project upstream gas investment, an export plan jointly promoted by AGDC and New York-based Glenfarne Group, LLC. (YCH-E)
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