TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Arizona state legislature on Tuesday (April 25) unanimously passed a joint resolution supporting Taiwan.
The resolution backs Taiwan’s international participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization, INTERPOL, and the World Health Organization, and calls for a Taiwan-U.S. bilateral trade agreement. It also urges Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to visit Taiwan and encourages continued bilateral cooperation and exchanges between the two sides.
The resolution is another example of the rock-solid friendship between Taiwan and Arizona, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles said. Amino Chi (紀欽耀), the director of TECO-LA, was present to witness the historic moment, CNA reported.
Chi visited Arizona from April 24-25 and met with legislative leaders including Senate President Karen Fann, House Speaker Rusty Bowers, Senate Majority Leader Warren Petersen, and members of the Taiwan Friendship Caucus. The lawmakers praised the progress made in Taiwan-Arizona ties and recognized the achievements in economic, technological, and cultural cooperation between the two sides.
Chi also met with Hobbs, who reaffirmed her support for democracy in Taiwan. The governor last visited Taiwan in 2016, when she was a state senator.
She said that her trip to Taiwan left a deep and positive impression and that she will continue to lead the state government in promoting friendly relations with Taiwan based on the existing good relationship.
Arizona is home to Luke Air Force Base (AFB), where Taiwan F-16 pilots previously trained from 1997. However, in 2021, they moved to the Air National Guard Base in Tucson, as Luke AFB now hosts training for F-35 pilots.
