TAIWAN’S NEWLY ESTABLISHED TRADE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN ATLANTA IS SEEKING SOUTHEAST U.S. COMPANIES WISHING TO ENTER INTO STRATEGIC ALLIANCES WITH TAIWANESE COMPANIES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR BUSINESS IN ASIA AS WELL AS AT HOME, ACCORDING TO STEVE T. J. CHEN, THE OFFICE’S DIRECTOR.
DURING AN INTERVIEW AT THE OFFICE’S SUITE IN THE TWO MIDTOWN PLAZA BUILDING ON WEST PEACHTREE STREET, MR. CHEN TOLD GLOBALFAX THAT SINCE THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN INSTITUTED THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE PROGRAM IN 1993 MORE THAN 40 MULTINATIONALS HAVE FORMED SUCH ALLIANCES.
ALTHOUGH THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE PROGRAM WITH TAIWAN’S MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS INCLUDE SOME OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST SUCH AS AT&T, GENERAL ELECTRIC, SIEMENS AND LOCKHEED MARTIN, MR. CHEN SAID THAT SMALL- TO MID-SIZED COMPANIES SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER SUCH ALLIANCES. HE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY HIGH-TECH COMPANIES OR COMPANIES INTERESTED IN ENTERING MAINLAND CHINA AS GOOD CANDIDATES FOR THE PROGRAM.
MR. CHEN ALSO PROMOTED THE PROGRAM AS A WAY FOR U.S. COMPANIES TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS FROM WHICH TO REACH ASIAN MARKETS. “WE KNOW CHINA,” HE ADDED, POINTING OUT THAT SOME 20,000 TAIWANESE COMPANIES HAVE SET UP BUSINESS ON THE MAINLAND.
HE ALSO SAID, HOWEVER, THAT LOCAL COMPANIES COULD BENEFIT THROUGH STRATEGIC ALLIANCES HERE BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS AND LICENSE AGREEMENTS, AND PERHAPS EVEN BY PERSUADING TAIWANESE COMPANIES TO INVEST IN THE SOUTHEAST U.S.
MR. CHEN CAME TO THE U.S. AS DIRECTOR OF THE TRADE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN MIAMI IN 1993. HE SAID THE TRADE OFFICE WAS RELOCATED TO ATLANTA IN MID-SEPTEMBER BECAUSE OF ITS STRONGER MANUFACTURING BASE. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING TWO-WAY TRADE AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN TAIWAN AND GEORGIA, FLORIDA, AND NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, ALABAMA, TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO AND THE BAHAMAS.
HE MAY BE REACHED BY CALLING (404) 892-5095; FAX, (404) 892-6555.