TAITRA kicked off the opening ceremony of its 5th U.S. office in Dallas with a "touchdown" as five members of Congress joined in the celebration. (From left to right: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Former Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, TAITRA Chairman James Huang, Congressman Pete Sessions, Congressman Keith Self, and TAITRA President & CEO Simon Wang).
TAITRA, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, Taiwan’s foremost trade promotion organization, with the support of the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), Ministry of Economic Affairs, announced it has opened an office in Dallas, Texas. This is TAITRA’s fifth US office which began previously with New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles. TAITRA marked this momentous occasion with a celebratory grand opening event on Monday, June 26, at the Westin Galleria near its new Dallas office located at 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway.
More than 200 guests comprised of government officials, business leaders, community leaders, and other dignitaries attended the commemoration. Featured speakers included:
- TAITRA Chairman James Huang
- Former Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
- Congressman Pete Sessions
- Congressman Lance Gooden
- Congressman Keith Self
- Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett
- Texas State Representative Angie Chen Button
- Chair of the American Institute in Taiwan Laura Rosenberger, who was unable to attend, sent a congratulatory letter that was read out loud.
- Taiwan Representative to the United States, Ms. Hsiao Bi-khim, who was unable to attend, recorded a congratulatory video.
Also in attendance were:
- Kevin Burnette, District Director for Congressman Pete Sessions
- Judith Tankel, District Director for Congressman Collin Allred
- Virginia Hanna, District Director for Congressman Pat Fallon
- Kristen Robinson Doe, Deputy Chief of Staff of Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne
- Michelle Bishop, District Director for Congressman Keith Self
- Commissioner Arthur Chen, OCAC
- Commissioner Sam Tsay, OCAC
- Houston TECO Economic Director Dr. Bochia Ni
- Chairman Keh-Shew Lu, Diodes Incorporated
- Chairman Charlie Chen, DFW Technology
- President Michelle Chang, Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America
- President Spencer Wang, North Texas Collin County Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce
- President Emeritus, Peter Ng, World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce
- President Emeritus, Dr. Charles Ku, Greater Dallas Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce
“The southern United States, particularly Texas, is rapidly evolving into a significant manufacturing hub. This transformation has been spurred not only by business-friendly policies, but also by the abundance of energy, a strong workforce, and a stable environment for growth,” said TAITRA Chairman James Huang. “In 2022, Taiwanese companies were responsible for two of the top 10 largest investments in the US, one of which was made right here in Texas. Currently, Taiwan ranks as the 9th largest import source for Texas. The opening of our fifth trade center in Dallas comes at a most opportune time. I’m fully confident our Dallas-based team will play an important bridge role and help set the stage for enhanced trade relations between Taiwan and the United States.”
A video screened at the event celebrated the first integrated circuit (IC) invented in Texas, by Texas Instruments, and Taiwan’s role in further developing it. Today, Taiwan is the most important source of ICs globally. TAITRA’s goal is to continue on the path of innovation and product improvement by serving as an intelligent integrator in areas like EVs, healthcare, and machinery.
Dallas is also Taipei’s sister city and is home to a growing Taiwanese American community and to dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Taiwan Trade Center’s Dallas office is headed by Executive Director Simon Lai. Lai is a TAITRA veteran and was previously the executive director of the San Francisco and Romania Taiwan Trade Centers. Dallas World Trade Center is located at 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, Ste 215, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone number: +1-214-434-1827.
Taiwan Trade Center, Dallas
Mr. Simon Lai, Director
Tel: +1-214-434-1827
Email: dallas@taitra.org.tw
Website: https://dallas.taiwantrade.com/home