Indiana Lieutenant Governor Visits Taiwan for National Day to Boost Semiconductor Cooperation

Indiana Lieutenant Governor Mike Beckwith recently arrived in Taiwan leading a trade and education delegation to undertake a series of significant exchange activities. A primary objective of this visit was to represent the Indiana state government at the Republic of China’s Double Tenth National Day celebration, expressing firm political support and congratulations to Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attached great importance to the visit, with Deputy Minister Chen Ming-chi personally receiving the delegation in Taipei. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on trade and economic cooperation, technology exchange, and democratic values between Taiwan and the United States. The MOFA noted that Indiana and Taiwan have maintained close interactions for years; this high-level visit not only symbolizes the depth of bilateral friendship but also lays a more solid foundation for future substantive cooperation.

During the talks, Deputy Minister Chen Ming-chi focused particularly on supply chain security and talent development in the high-tech industry. He stated that Taiwan plays an indispensable and critical role in the global semiconductor supply chain, while Indiana has been actively positioning itself in advanced manufacturing and the semiconductor sector in recent years. The two sides possess significant complementary potential in industry-academia collaboration and professional talent cultivation. Taiwan hopes to use this high-level interaction to further deepen its substantive partnership with Indiana in the semiconductor and related technology fields, thereby strengthening the economic resilience of both sides and jointly building a safer, more resilient democratic supply chain to address the various challenges posed by the current international geopolitical landscape.

Lieutenant Governor Beckwith, in turn, highly affirmed Taiwan’s achievements in democracy, freedom, and human rights. He emphasized that the relationship between Indiana and Taiwan extends beyond trade and economic exchanges; they are ideological partners united by a shared pursuit of core values such as democracy and freedom. Beckwith pointed out that in the face of a complex and rapidly changing international situation, like-minded democratic regimes should stand closely together and support one another. His personal attendance at the Double Tenth National Day celebration was intended to convey, through concrete action, the firm support of Indiana’s various sectors for Taiwan’s democratic system. He expressed hope that the two sides will continue to expand substantive exchanges in education, culture, and various industries on the basis of their existing good relationship.

Looking back at the bilateral relationship between Taiwan and Indiana, ties in trade and education have become increasingly tight in recent years. Indiana holds an important economic strategic position in the U.S. Midwest and is a major hub for agriculture and traditional manufacturing, having recently actively transitioned toward developing high-tech industries. Taiwan and Indiana have long established deep sister-city and trade cooperation relationships, with frequent interactions between businesses in areas such as automotive components, biotechnology, and precision machinery. Taiwan has also established overseas offices or strengthened its trade presence in Indiana, continuously injecting momentum into bilateral relations through official visits and industry-academia cooperation. The Lieutenant Governor’s visit is undoubtedly a significant milestone in the continued warming of relations between the two sides.

From a broader international strategic perspective, the frequent visits to Taiwan by U.S. state lieutenant governors and local leaders demonstrate strong bipartisan support for Taiwan. This form of "local diplomacy" and "trade diplomacy" often bypasses political interference at the federal level, allowing for the implementation of more concrete and pragmatic cooperation projects. Lieutenant Governor Beckwith’s choice to lead a delegation to Taiwan during the highly symbolic Double Tenth National Day not only highlights Taiwan’s important status on the democratic frontline in the Indo-Pacific region but also conveys to the international community the firm support of U.S. local governments for Taiwan’s international participation and democratic values. This has a positive and far-reaching significance for enhancing Taiwan’s international visibility and consolidating substantive diplomatic achievements. (Source: Central News Agency)