Director-General Scott Lai of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston visited Maine Governor Paul LePage in Augusta on March 21. Mr. Lai congratulated the governor on Maine’s record setting lobster catch in 2016 and noted that lobster is very popular in Asia, including Taiwan. He assured the governor that he would continually help promote Maine lobster exports to Taiwan in the future.
In 2016, lobstermen in Maine caught 131 million pounds of lobster valued at $533 million, according to news media reports. While meeting the governor, Mr. Lai noted that the Taiwan Frozen Seafood Industries Association recently attended the International Boston Seafood Show where some of its delegates expressed a high interest in importing lobsters from Maine.
Director-General Lai said that Asian countries usually refer to Maine lobster as “Boston lobster,” which may be unfair to Maine. However, Maine trade missions to Taiwan and other Asian countries would help increase lobster exports and correct the wrong perception on Maine lobster. Mr. Lai expressed the Taiwan government’s willingness to help promote products such as lobster, blueberries, maple syrup, and high-tech products in Taiwan, as well as strengthen bilateral higher education exchange.
Governor LePage noted that Maine looks to correct this misconception through marketing missions and trade shows. The governor said that he welcomes Taiwanese companies to invest in Maine and strengthen cooperation across a variety of areas.
Taiwan and Maine share a close trade relationship. Taiwan, for example, is Maine’s eleventh largest export market and the eighth largest in Asia, with a total of $47 million in 2015. Major exports to Taiwan include electronics, video equipment, machinery, iron and steel, and transport equipment. Taiwan is also Maine’s eighteenth largest import market, totaling $25 million in 2015. Additionally, Maine has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Taiwan’s Ministry of Education to strengthen Taiwan-Maine educational relations.