James_May-June_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 28
The question is no longer whether there
is a foundation for closer ties. There is. The
real question is whether Georgia is prepared to build on it with greater ambition.
That should begin with trade and
supply-chain cooperation. Over the past
several years, policymakers and business
leaders have learned the same lesson:
efficiency alone is no longer enough. Resilience matters. Diversification matters.
Trusted supply chains matter. Taiwan
plays a central role in sectors that Georgia increasingly depends on, from semiconductors and electronics to advanced
machinery and digital systems. A closer
DIRECTOR-GENERAL LIN WITH STATE SENATORS AFTER DELIVERING A SPEECH
AT THE GEORGIA SENATE IN MARCH, 2026.
relationship with Taiwan would help
Georgia strengthen its industrial base and
investment in Georgia would create jobs, deepen local
better position itself for the next generation of ecosupply chains, and support innovation. Just as imnomic competition.
portantly, more engagement with Taiwan would give
Investment should be a second priority. Georgia
Georgia companies and institutions stronger access to
has proven that it can attract major global investment
one of the most dynamic and sophisticated technology
in electric vehicles, batteries, logistics and advanced
ecosystems in the world.
manufacturing. Taiwan is home to companies with
A third priority is innovation. Georgia is building
deep expertise in smart manufacturing, industrial
the kind of collaborative ecosystem that naturally comautomation, precision machinery, green technology
plements Taiwan’s own development model. Science
and next-generation electronics. More Taiwanese
Square, Georgia Tech, Curiosity Lab and Rowen reflect
a modern understanding of economic growth: the industries of the future will emerge where government,
universities, research institutions and private enterprise work together. Taiwan has been demonstrating
the success of that model for decades through its
science parks. That creates natural opportunities for
deeper cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, smart mobility, biotechnology and advanced
manufacturing.
But none of this will happen automatically. Relationships deepen through sustained engagement.
Trade delegations, investment missions, university
partnerships, and official exchanges are not formalities.
They are how opportunities are identified, confidence
is built, and projects move from discussion to execution. Georgia leaders who visit Taiwan will find much
more than a democratic friend. They will see a highly
sophisticated industrial society that has mastered the
connection between research, manufacturing, commercialization, and global competitiveness. Taiwanese
leaders and companies visiting Georgia will see a state
that is rapidly emerging as one of the most attractive
platforms for advanced industry in the South.
The good news is that this relationship does not
need to be invented from scratch. Existing business
ties, official exchanges, and local partnerships have
already created a strong foundation. The next step is
to elevate those ties— to treat Taiwan not simply as a
28
JAMES M AY/JU N E 2 02 6
