Lai meets with Michigan governor for drone coopreation
PARTNERSHIP: The president called for the early signing of a bilateral agreement on avoiding double taxation, which would create a more favorable investment environment
By Chen Yun and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Taiwan hopes to work more closely with Michigan to develop its drone industry and further promote Taiwan-US industrial cooperation, while strengthening supply chain resilience, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday at a meeting with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in Taipei.
Lai also urged the early signing of a bilateral agreement on the avoidance of double taxation to create a more favorable investment environment for companies on both sides.
Whitmer said she was visiting with state government officials, locally elected officials and business partners to deepen industrial and people-to-people ties between Michigan and Taiwan.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, left, presents President William Lai with a jersey from Taiwanese Detroit Tigers player Lee Hao-yu at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
She expressed pride in the increasingly close relationship between her state and Taiwan, and praised Taiwan’s orderly, transparent and open governance and elections, which she said demonstrated the strength of its democracy.
Michigan is pleased to contribute to strengthening Taiwan-US relations and welcomes investment by businesses from both sides, Whitmer said.
Taiwanese companies have launched projects in Michigan, including in automotive electronics and chip design, and the projects are progressing smoothly, she said.
During her visit, Whitmer also announced that Taichung and Oakland County, Michigan, had established a sister relationship.
Whitmer has now visited Taiwan three times in as many years, demonstrating the importance she places on Taiwan as a partner and helping foster closer ties with Michigan, Lai said.
Lai cited Whitmer’s visit two years ago to preside over the opening of the State of Michigan Taiwan Office, saying that it has contributed to economic and trade, talent and technology exchanges between the two sides.
The president also thanked the representatives of Michigan for their long-standing support of Taiwan, including establishing a bipartisan Taiwan caucus and passing pro-Taiwan resolutions for five consecutive years supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and deeper economic and trade cooperation.
Michigan is a global automotive-industry hub, while its development of smart transportation, automotive software, information and communications technology, and industrial automation complements Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors, electronic components and smart manufacturing, Lai said.
Taiwan-US economic and trade relations and investment have also grown in the past few years, with Taiwan becoming the US’ fourth-largest trading partner last year, while the US became Taiwan’s largest overseas investment destination and export market, Lai said.
He said a double-taxation agreement would help create a more favorable investment environment and enable Taiwanese companies to establish more complete industrial clusters in Michigan.
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