The US state of New Jersey yesterday opened its Asia-Pacific center in Taiwan to expand its economic presence and cultural ties with regional partners.
In a prerecorded address played during an opening ceremony in Taipei, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center’s opening has “unleashed new possibilities and prosperity for our workers and our families in New Jersey, in Taiwan, and across the Asia-Pacific region.”
“This pivotal step signifies the beginning of a new era, where our enduring bonds with Asian nations will evolve into unprecedented realms of opportunity, collaboration, economic prosperity and cultural enrichment,” he said.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile, in a separate prerecorded video played at the same ceremony, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said that as a former resident of New Jersey, the Garden State has always had a special place in her heart.
Hsiao graduated from Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey.
“I am confident that the opening of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center will provide strong momentum in boosting trade, investment and people-to-people ties between Taiwan and the Garden State,” Hsiao said. “More importantly, this will help deepen Taiwan-US economic and investment relations on the whole, making an already robust relationship even stronger.”
The New Jersey Asia Pacific Center is the fifth international office of Choose New Jersey, the state’s nonprofit business attraction organization.
New Jersey’s other international offices are in India, Israel, Germany (covering mainland Europe) and Ireland.
The New Jersey Asia Pacific Center is to serve Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and China, and is to be led by Sam Lin (林俞賢), who will manage a team of representatives, Murphy said.
More than 20 US states have now opened offices in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
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