Lawmakers from the Southeastern US visited Taiwan in August 2024, shedding light on the Southeastern regions’ interest and investment in Taiwan.
From August 30th to September 8th, 2024, a delegation of Southeastern US lawmakers traveled to Taiwan. This delegation comprised of 10 state senators and representatives from across the Southeastern US representing the states of Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. The group emphasized that this trip represents the enduring partnership between Taiwan and the Southeastern US region. Representatives from Kentucky, in particular, cited their economic exchange, and their hopes to advance mutual educational opportunities between Kentucky and Taiwan.
During their time in Kaohsiung, one of Taiwan’s largest cities, Kentucky State Senate President Robert Stivers further stressed that Taiwan is an anchor of peace and stability in the region. For example, representatives in Kentucky cited their economic exchange and their higher education and K-12 cooperation memorandum of understanding with Taiwan signed in 2021.
The purpose of this visit was to demonstrate solidarity between the Southeastern US and Taiwan. During this trip, US legislators travelled to Kaohsiung to discuss the status of Taiwan-US relations and areas for collaboration with Taiwanese government officials. US officials discussed how they can foster cultural collaboration with Taiwan following their return to the United States. Alabama Senator Linda Coleman-Madison, for example, hopes to work with Taiwanese students in her state to explore possible exchange opportunities. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai expressed hopes for collaboration and for the delegation to gain insights into Kaohsiung's investment opportunities.
Subnational diplomacy is not a new phenomenon in the US-Taiwan geopolitical landscape. For decades, US states have engaged with Taiwan individually to avoid provoking mainland China with high-level official delegations. Currently, there are 17 states and Guam with representative offices established in Taiwan, not including the recent addition of Texas.
This visit comes at a time of mounting economic vulnerability and coercion from China as Taiwan emerges out of its election season. Within this context, many Southeastern states have taken the initiative to offset the economic damage through trade deals with Taiwan. For example, Taiwan’s 2020 election cycle coincided an increase in Kentucky’s exports to Taiwan by 62.6% between 2020 and 2021 and an increase in Tennessee’s exports to Taiwan by 22.5% between 2020 and 2021. While the trade agreements during this period may not be a causal relationship, it highlights the economic interdependence between the Southeastern US and Taiwan.
Historically, state-level agreements between Southeastern US states and Taiwan have defined this regional relationship. Florida and Louisiana are two of the earliest adopters of state-level engagement with Taiwan, establishing representative offices in 1990 and 1989 respectively. These developments have resulted in numerous successful economic trade and educational exchange initiatives. Examples of this state-level relationship include Alabama’s annual proclamation of 'Taiwan Day' every October 10th since 2016, and Louisiana’s 2022 sister city connection between New Orleans and Tainan. In 2021, the US Southeastern State Legislature Taiwan Caucus was created, ushering in a new era of collective, regional-level diplomacy in support of Taiwan. This relatively new caucus calls for Southeastern lawmakers to advocate for Taiwan on the national and global stage and advocating for Taiwan’s participation and cooperation in global affairs such as adding Taiwan as a member to the World Health Organization.
The delegation of Southeastern US lawmakers represented the importance and legacy of Taiwan’s strong relationship with the Southeastern US. Demonstrating the regional solidarity of the Southeastern US with visits such as these improves collaboration efforts and stability in Taiwan-US relations. With each election cycle in Taiwan escalating the tumultuous relationship across the strait, regional diplomacy initiatives such as this highlight areas where Taiwan and the US can deepen their cooperation on economic development, cultural exchange, and security interests.
Elijah Weaver is a Fall 2024 Young Professional at the East-West Center in Washington. He is a senior at Juniata College completing a BA in International Studies and Chinese Studies. His area focus is diplomacy and digital policy with a regional focus in East Asia.