While Americans across the country — in 16 states and in the U.S. territory of American Samoa — vote in the presidential primaries on Super Tuesday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is in Taipei, Taiwan on “an economic investment mission to bring jobs and projects home to Michigan.”
[Note: Last month, the U.S. Senate has passed a $95B emergency foreign aid bill to support Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan — however, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced the bipartisan bill “dead on arrival” in the House.]
As seen in the selfie video below with Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu, Whitmer announced the opening of “Michigan’s first-ever Taiwan office!”
She wrote: “I’m looking forward to our continued partnership, supporting key industries and bringing jobs and investment back home to Michigan.” The Governor emphasized specific industries including semi-conductors and electric vehicles.
I’m excited to be here in Taipei with Minister Wu to announce Michigan’s first-ever Taiwan office! I’m looking forward to our continued partnership, supporting key industries and bringing jobs and investment back home to Michigan. pic.twitter.com/5C6Jsj6yG1
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) March 5, 2024
In her signature style emphasizing personal relationships, Whitmer noted that Wu is a fellow Big Ten alum, a “Buckeye” (he finished his PhD in political science at Ohio State University, where he worked as a professor and researcher) but promised “we won’t hold that against you.” Governor Whitmer is a Spartan, a graduate of Michigan State University.
Michigan is known for putting the world on wheels and Taiwan is a leader in manufacturing semiconductors and electronics. We’re working across oceans to make products of the future and opening Michigan’s first-ever Taiwan Office. When we work together, we can get even more done. pic.twitter.com/cWng4guknP
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) March 4, 2024
Note: Prior to her trip to Taiwan, Whitmer helped push President Joe Biden’s candidacy in the lead-up to the Michigan Democratic presidential primary on February 27 (Biden won 81.1% of the votes) and the two Democrats spoke together to members of the United Automobile Workers, which endorsed Biden.
It was Biden’s first trip to Michigan since September, when he joined UAW workers on the picket line during a strike that ultimately led to higher wage contracts with Detroit automakers.
Backing Biden and the Taiwan trip are related for Whitmer, whose state and especially its semiconductor business has been a major beneficiary of the CHIPS and Science Act Biden signed in 2022. In 2023, Whitmer wrote:
“One year after the CHIPS and Science Act, we are continuing to demonstrate our leadership with more battery plants, semiconductor facilities, and innovative workforce programs. Our know-how and deep industry roots put us in a strong position to be a global leader in so many emerging industries, backed by the powerful incentives in the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. Together, we will continue getting things done to help anyone ‘make it’ in Michigan.”