Premier Su Tseng-chang on Tuesday welcomed a trade delegation led by Brad Little, governor of the U.S. state of Idaho. The governor has previously voiced repeated support for Taiwan's participation in international affairs, while both houses of the Idaho State Legislature have adopted numerous Taiwan-friendly resolutions. These initiatives show the depth of the bilateral friendship, help uphold regional peace and promote Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, which allows Taiwan to continue contributing to the world. The combined efforts of Taiwan and Idaho have furthered both regional and international peace and development, the premier said.
Taiwan and Idaho have a record of close cooperation on trade. During this visit to Taiwan, Governor Little has witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding relating to trade and industrial cooperation between the state of Idaho and Taiwan, which the premier said he is confident will help advance the relationship and spur on the development of bilateral trade. The recent announcement by Idaho-based U.S. semiconductor firm Micron Technology that it will increase its investment in Taiwan was warmly welcomed by the premier, who said that the Executive Yuan has established a task force to assist with related administrative procedures, and added that he hoped everything would go smoothly so that Taiwan and Idaho continue to reap mutual benefits.
In his remarks, Governor Little observed that the formal relationship between Taiwan and Idaho started 38 years ago, when their first official agreement was passed in 1984. Over time, both sides have continued to build on this relationship, regardless of which political party was in office. The governor looks forward in two years to the 40th anniversary of this first official agreement, when he anticipates there will be a big celebration with even more prosperity for the people of Taiwan and the people of Idaho.
Governor Little noted that Micron Technology was a small company when it started in Boise, the state capital of Idaho, but it has grown and prospered, with global offices in locations including Japan, China, Italy and Taiwan. During his visit, the governor witnessed the prosperity of companies in Taiwan, which he credited to the good regulatory environment and the highly skilled people that have enabled companies to get their work done and develop successfully.