The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

In July, I had a great opportunity to join a bipartisan group of Midwest leaders on a visit to Taiwan. In addition to the three elected officials from Wisconsin attending, other officials participating in the five-day experience were from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Our schedule was built to ensure we learned about and saw as much as possible, starting with the day we landed.

Taiwan is a small island, about a quarter of the size of Wisconsin, but with four times the population.  They are the 4th largest trading partner with United States this year, as of June 2026. For years, Taiwan has worked to increase trade connections with various countries and regions, and Wisconsin is no exception. It was clear from those we met that Taiwan is looking to add to those relationships for the benefit of both their business climate and ours.

I wasn’t sure what to expect on my first trip to Taiwan, other than some heat and humidity at this time of year after the 14-hour flight. The heat was certainly a constant during our time there, but so was warm hospitality and much information about Taiwan’s economy, development, culture and people. As a society, the Taiwan people are very pro-U.S. and see us as a close friend.

I was very interested to learn more about this country that already has many connections to our state and region in terms of business and trade. For example, Taiwan is particularly interested in agricultural imports to their country. Our delegation gifted dried Wisconsin Ginseng to some of their officials, and they were already familiar with this industry in our state. They mentioned that Wisconsin grows and distributes the best ginseng.

As a Midwest state, we are always striving to improve and strengthen our economy and workforce. Growing trade partnerships with Taiwan would increase our connections with businesses in both regions and create more jobs here. One way to do that would be to establish a trade office in Taipei to increase beneficial partnerships. Over half of U.S. states have a trade office in Taiwan, including Minnesota and Michigan, with Illinois opening one this year.

A Wisconsin trade office could work on robust connections in general areas of business and specific industries such as agriculture or manufacturing. Currently, there’s growing interest by mid-sized Taiwanese companies, usually in global technology related markets, to build production facilities in the U.S. The trade disruptions caused by the pandemic and more recently, aggressive Chinese military maneuvers, interrupt the flow of goods to their U.S. based customers. Building and utilizing facilities in the U.S. help their companies maintain continuous sales while also ensuring that our companies don’t suffer supply chain shortages. In many ways, this can be a win-win scenario for both economies and workforces.

Rather than looking only for one big facility to make headlines, we need to look at smaller companies that create and grow jobs for Wisconsinites throughout our state. Establishing partnerships with smaller companies is beneficial. They need the most help navigating state and local regulations along with their impact potential. That’s what trade offices can help with. Providing connections between state agencies and potential investors can create a foundation from which both partners can benefit. Wisconsin is well positioned to attract this type of small manufacturing business by supporting their work with our already well-established workforce flexibility and rapid training capabilities.

Over the years, Taiwan has become ever more important as a trade partner with our country and with the states around us. I hope other Wisconsin officials take the opportunity to learn more about the value of working with our partners. When this type of association can be beneficial to the people of Wisconsin, I believe our state should take advantage of opportunities, so we don’t fall behind.

In a global economy, our workforces and economies can be mutually successful far into the future, as long as we start to build a stronger basis for cooperation now.

John Leiber is Wisconsin state treasurer