TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) plans to open offices in Dallas, Texas, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during 2023, reports said Thursday (Dec. 29).

Apart from the United States and the Middle East, Taiwan’s main foreign trade body also wanted to focus on Japan and on the New Southbound Policy countries of Southeast and South Asia, Radio Taiwan International reported.

Central and Eastern Europe, Central and South America, and Africa also deserve attention as markets with significant potential, TAITRA Chairman James Huang (黃志芳) told a news conference presenting the organization’s plans for next year.

Trade delegations were likely to visit Texas and Saudi Arabia to mark the opening of the new offices, while Taiwan Image expos would take place in Tokyo, Malaysia, Thailand, and India, according to the former foreign minister. In the post-COVID era, the body would also work toward resuming its practice of staging 300 exhibitions per year in Taiwan and overseas.