James March-April 2024 online - Flipbook - Page 77
PHIL KENT How did you get started
in your professional career, and how
did this lead to your arrival in Atlanta
as the Director-General of the Taipei
Economic and Cultural Office?
HON. ELLIOT WANG I began my professional journey by studying international relations, driven by a passion to
become a diplomat. Through dedication
and hard work, I had the opportunity to
be posted in Washington, D.C. and Brussels. There I honed my skills and gained
invaluable experience in diplomatic
affairs, deepening my understanding
of Taiwan’s relations with the two key
global players. These experiences subsequently led me to Atlanta, dedicated to
building stronger ties between the six
Southeastern states and Taiwan.
PK What is the mission of your Atlanta office? Furthermore, explain the
reciprocal relationship that has developed between Taiwan and the United
States— including a major trade agreement signed last summer.
EW Our Atlanta office, operating as
a de facto Taiwan Consulate General,
handles standard consular duties such
as issuing passports and visas, and authenticating documentations. However,
our main mission is to bolster relations
between Taiwan and the Southeastern
United States in areas like business,
education and culture, among others.
Our office has made noteworthy
achievements benefiting two sides
of people including a driver license
exchange agreement with Georgia and
promoting Mandarin-English teachers
and student exchanges.
Last summer we saw a significant milestone as Taiwan and the U.S.
signed the first trade agreement under
the 21st Century Trade Initiative. This
pact addresses customs procedures,
regulatory practices, small business
and transparency. Moreover, it sets the
stage for a comprehensive Taiwan-US
bilateral trade agreement in the future.
PK The U.S. once made more than 30
percent of the world’s computer chips.
But these jobs moved overseas, and
we manufacture few chips. Yet Taiwan
made a significant investment in an
Arizona chip plant and appears to be
considering further American investments. What are the economic opportunities relating to Georgia?
EW Taiwan presents promising eco-
of Driver Services in 2021 to mutually
recognize driver’s licenses between
Taiwan and Georgia. This initiative has
resulted in a noticeable increase in business professionals, talents, tourists and
students from Taiwan choosing Georgia
as their destination.
To further enhance economic collaboration, we strongly encourage Gov.
Brian Kemp to lead a business delegation
to Taiwan. Following the recent examples of North Carolina, South Carolina,
Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Pennsylvania, establishing a trade office
in Taiwan would allow both sides to capitalize on their respective strengths and
mutual economic benefits.
nomic opportunities for Georgia,
especially in the electric vehicle (EV)
industry. Taiwan’s strong reputation in
high-tech manufacturing and its robust
EV supply chain align well with Georgia’s increasing focus on EV adoption.
Taiwan’s pivotal role in the EV sector is
evident, with around 75 percent of Tesla’s components sourced from Taiwanese companies, and the recent development of Taiwan’s first EV, Luxgen n7, in
2022 by Hon Hai (Foxconn).
Georgia offers a favorable business
environment and skilled labor, making it an ideal partner for Taiwan. By
leveraging Taiwan’s expertise and
Georgia’s business-friendly
ecosystem, collaboration between Taiwan
and Georgia can drive
job creation, foster
technological advancement and pave
the way for longterm prosperity.
In an effort to forge
closer ties, my office took
a significant step by facilitating an agreement with
the Georgia Department
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