Florida officials concluded a visit to Taiwan as part of the 2025 Leadership Mission to Asia, holding meetings aimed at expanding economic, academic and technology-related cooperation between the state and Taiwanese institutions.
The 37-member delegation, led by Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly, met with national ministries, business groups, universities and semiconductor industry representatives in Taipei.
The visit followed a memorandum of understanding signed in January 2025 that reaffirmed Florida and Taiwan’s Sister State relationship and outlined areas for collaboration in semiconductor manufacturing, trade and higher education.
“Florida and Taiwan share a strong bond built on decades of mutual respect, cultural exchange and a critical economic partnership,” said Byrd. “This trade mission reaffirms our commitment to strengthening these ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration.”
According to state officials, the mission focused on sectors including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, microelectronics, AgTech, FinTech and artificial intelligence. Delegation members participated in business seminars, roundtable discussions and individual meetings with Taiwanese companies and industry associations.
Meetings with the Ministry of Economic Affairs centered on semiconductor cooperation and follow-up discussions related to the January agreement. Talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed broader economic engagement, innovation partnerships and potential areas for expanded educational collaboration.
The group also met with the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association to discuss supply chain dynamics, research priorities and possible investment opportunities in Florida.
A separate meeting with the Taipei Computer Association focused on smart-city development and digital infrastructure.
Delegation members additionally visited National Taiwan University and Shih Chien University for discussions on joint research and academic exchange in semiconductor engineering, microelectronics, photonics and related fields. Florida universities have signed 24 agreements with Taiwanese institutions since 2024, covering research initiatives, student mobility and faculty collaboration.
Florida reported $1.2 billion in bilateral merchandise trade with Taiwan in 2024. Taiwan imported $266 million in goods from Florida that year, making it one of the state’s largest Asia-Pacific trading partners.