Premier Chen Chien-jen on Wednesday received a U.S. trade delegation led by Greg Gianforte, governor of the state of Montana. The premier said after Governor Gianforte took office in 2021, he prioritized the reopening of the Montana Asia Trade Office based in Taipei, and has now selected Taiwan as the first stop on his first international trip as governor. This not only demonstrates the ties of friendship between Taiwan and Montana, but also contributes to the promotion of trade cooperation.
The premier said Montana has the highest per capita concentration of optics and photonics companies in the U.S., and has shown the initiative to pass legislation prohibiting the use of social software that endangers national security, thus protecting Montana residents' sensitive information from theft by authoritarian nations. The premier anticipates that Taiwan and Montana will continue strengthening collaboration in key industries, as well as cooperating to constrain threats to international peace and security from authoritarian institutions, together upholding the shared values and interests of democratic countries.
In his remarks, Governor Gianforte said Montana has shared a strong bond with Taiwan ever since the signing of a sister state relationship in 1985, a bond that has been forged through trade, educational exchange, and the shared values of freedom and free enterprise. While in Taiwan, the delegation will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Taiwan-USA Industrial Cooperation Promotion Office and Taiwan's Photonics Industry and Technology Development Association, and the governor said he hopes this trade mission will create new relationships in the fields of high tech, bioscience, photonics and software as a service.