The City of Miami would like to bolster its economic cooperation with Taiwan in the banking, investment and yachting industries, Mayor Tomas Regalado said May 31.
“We want to explore the possibility of increasing the Taiwanese presence in Miami,” Regalado said at a news conference in Taipei City, adding that his city has been dubbed the Wall Street of the South because of its more than 200 international banks and investment firms.
Regalado, on a six-day business trip to Taiwan that concludes June 1, noted that Taiwan has an abundance of capital to invest overseas in places such as Miami.
Taiwan investors are not dependent on loans from U.S. banks, which have very strict lending requirements and require a lengthy approval process, Regalado noted. Thus Miami is keen on working with Taiwanese investors with readily available finance.
The mayor of the southeastern U.S. city met with representatives of the local real estate sector last week to explore the possibility of joint business opportunities going forward.
He is scheduled to meet Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu to strengthen trade and investment possibilities between the two cities, which established sisterhood in 1987.
Noting that Miami has a flourishing yacht tourism industry, Regalado said he will also meet with representatives of Taiwan’s yacht manufacturing sector, which is ranked among the world’s top 10 by volume.
“We have several marinas and facilities in the rivers of Miami,” Regalado said. “I would urge members of the yachting industry to go and see our facilities.”
Yacht makers should not visit Miami only once a year during the city’s world-famous Miami International Boat Show, he added.
After he returns to Miami, Regalado said, he will follow up on the conversations he had during his visit to Taiwan. (HZW)
Write to Elaine Hou at elainehou@mail.gio.gov.tw