Wisconsin legislature backs Taiwan-US trade agreement

威斯康辛州立法機構支持台美貿易協定

Legislature passes resolution calling for closer Taiwan-US ties


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Wisconsin Legislature passed a resolution supporting a Taiwan-US bilateral trade agreement on Friday.

The legislature said it “endorses” Taiwan’s desire to finalize a trade deal with the US and reiterated support for “a closer economic and trade partnership” between Wisconsin and Taiwan.

Trade negotiations “are an important step toward further strengthening bilateral trade between our countries,” the resolution said. It added that a trade agreement would boost Wisconsin exports to Taiwan and create opportunities for bilateral investment and technical cooperation.

The legislature reaffirmed its commitment to bolstering sister ties between Wisconsin and Taiwan and expressed support for the Taiwan Relations Act. It also backed Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and its “aspiration to make more contributions in international societies.”

Dennis Yen-Feng Lei (類延峰), director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago, welcomed the resolution and expressed gratitude to the Wisconsin Legislative Taiwan Caucus for its strong support of Taiwan-US relations, per CNA.

Lei pointed out that Wisconsin is an important economic and trade partner for Taiwan, with major companies such as Foxconn and Johnson Health Tech operating plants in the state.

Wisconsin established sister-state relations with Taiwan in 1986. Taiwan was Wisconsin’s fourth-largest export market in Asia in 2023, with US$380 million worth of Wisconsin goods exported to Taiwan, according to the resolution.

Taiwan was also Wisconsin’s third-largest import market in Asia the same year, with US$931 million worth of goods imported from Taiwan.