Director-General Scott Lai and Deputy Director May Lin of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston visited New Hampshire House Speaker Shawn Jasper in Concord on March 28. The Speaker read and presented a declaration reiterating the strong friendship between Taiwan and New Hampshire.
The declaration states that Taiwan and New Hampshire share a close relationship, marked by strong bilateral trade, educational and cultural exchange, and scientific and technological interests. Taiwan, for example, is New Hampshire’s 6th largest export market in Asia (2015). It also notes that Taiwan and New Hampshire share common values of freedom, democracy, and a free market economy, and commends Taiwan’s tireless work to uphold democratic priciples. Furthermore, the declaration commends Taiwan’s role in maintaining peace in the East and South China Seas. The House seeks to further strengthen Taiwan-New Hampshire trade and investment relations, and expressed its support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and agreements.
This is the first time that the New Hampshire House passed a declaration in support of Taiwan since 2008, which is meaningful for promoting substantive bilateral cooperation. New Hampshire is the third state in New England to pass a similar declaration, after the Rhode Island House of Representatives and the Vermont House of Representatives did so in early February (2017).
