By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Following the passage of a bill last year reaffirming friendship between New Hampshire and Taiwan and encouraging the enhancement of bilateral trade relations, two state Senators toured economic and cultural development leaders at the State House Tuesday.
State Sen. Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton and State Sen. Howard Pearl, R-Loudon met with Charles C. H. Liao, director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural office in Boston, director Alex Y.H. Huang and Deputy Director Chin T. Hsu.
The three noted that already Taiwan is the state’s seventh largest trade partner and there is room for more growth and educational exchange which they are working on in the years to come.
This follows House Rule 20 passed in 2024 which notes that there could be a mutually beneficial partnership, “supported by our common values of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and a free market economy, and our countries now enjoy the strongest relations ever, that bilateral trade with New Hampshire reached $225.14 million in 2022 and New Hampshire exported to Taiwan $53 million in integrated circuits, lathes, machinery, lightbulbs, and cell phone related products.”
Pearl and Lang said they had lunch with the three and had a follow-up to a trade delegation meeting in Taiwan which had already occurred. They are now looking at next steps to improve trade and education opportunities.
Taiwan has a goal that by 2030 their students will be bilingual in both Mandarin and English.
“So they are looking for English educators to be able to come over and teach but at the same point, they want to be able to provide Mandarin languages and services to the United States,” Lang said, and he will be working with the University System, Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut and others.
They have heavy exports in semiconductor chips, Pearl said, and “they love maple syrup.” he said. Pearl is a maple sugar farmer.
