The Republican governor of Indiana met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday morning, following two recent high-profile visits by US politicians that drew the ire of China and Chinese military exercises that included firing missiles at the island.
According to a statement from his office, Governor Eric Holcomb arrived in Taiwan on Sunday night for a four-day visit focused on economic trade, particularly semiconductors.
His visit comes at a tense time for Taiwan, China and the United States after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this month. China claims the self-government of Taiwan as its territory and views exchanges with foreign governments as an infringement of its claims.
Tsai acknowledged the tensions in her opening remarks before their Monday morning meeting and welcomed more exchanges.
“In the midst of this, Taiwan has been confronted by military threats from China, in and around the Taiwan Strait. At this moment, democratic allies must stand together and boost cooperation in all areas,” Tsai said. “Building on our existing foundation of collaboration, I look forward to our supporting one another and advancing hand in hand, forging closer relations and creating even deeper cooperation.”
In response to Pelosi’s visit, China’s military held several days of exercises that included fighter jets flying toward the island and warships sailing through the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial buffer between the island and mainland.
China also imposed visa bans and other sanctions on various Taiwanese political figures, though it is unclear what effect the sanctions would have.
Holcomb emphasized the economic nature of his visit, noting that the state is among the top in the US for foreign direct investment and is home to 10 Taiwanese companies. “We both seek to deepen and enhance the already excellent cooperation we have established over the years,” he said.
Holcomb will also meet with representatives from the semiconductor industry and is expected to promote academic and technological cooperation between Taiwan and the state of Indiana. The delegation will meet with National Yang-Ming University and National Cheng Kung University as part of the exchange.
He travels with officials from the state’s economic development council and the dean of engineering at Purdue University. This institution has just established a graduate program in semiconductors. Next, he will visit South Korea.