Choose New Jersey Opens Asia Pacific Center in Taiwan

On May 29, 2024

Choose New Jersey, the state’s leading nonprofit business attraction organization, officially opened the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center in Taipei, Taiwan. Plans for the Center were initially announced by Gov. Phil Murphy and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen during last year’s multination economic mission to East Asia. The opening of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center strengthens economic and cultural ties, creates new opportunities, and fosters collaboration that benefits both New Jersey and our East Asian partners.

The center was officially opened at an event in Taipei with Choose New Jersey President and CEO Wesley Mathews, along with video remarks from Gov. Murphy and Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, and in-person remarks by Daniel Diann-Wen Tang, secretary general at the ministry of foreign affairs; Betsy Shieh, commercial section chief at the American Institute in Taiwan; Antonio Calcado, executive vice president and COO of Rutgers University; Barbara Owen, director of development and alumni events at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT); Dr. Chuck Tsai, president of NJIT Taiwan Alumni; Beth Chien, director of government affairs and public policy at MediaTek; and Sam Lin, director of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center.

“With the historic inauguration of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center, we are unleashing new possibilities and prosperity for our workers and our families, in New Jersey, in Taiwan, and across the Asia Pacific region,” said Murphy. “This pivotal step signifies the beginning of a new era, where our enduring bonds with Asian nations will evolve into unprecedented realms of opportunity, collaboration, economic prosperity, and cultural enrichment.”

The New Jersey Asia Pacific Center will serve Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and China and will be led by Sam Lin, who will manage the team of representatives. The Center will showcase New Jersey to companies in the region that are looking to expand to the United States and support their efforts by helping with all aspects of establishing a presence in New Jersey.

“As a former resident of New Jersey, the Garden State has a special place in my heart,” said Hsiao Bi-khim, Vice President of Taiwan. “I am confident that the opening of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center will provide strong momentum in boosting trade, investment, and people-to-people ties between Taiwan and the Garden State. More importantly, this will help deepen Taiwan-US economic and investment relations on the whole, making an already robust relationship even stronger.”

The New Jersey Asia Pacific Center will facilitate increased trade and collaboration in sectors crucial to New Jersey’s continued economic success, such as technology, life sciences, manufacturing, clean energy, and artificial intelligence (AI). Since the 2023 Governor-led economic mission to East Asia, there has been an 845% increase in the pipeline of East Asian companies interested in establishing or expanding their presence in New Jersey.

“The opening of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center marks a critical milestone in our efforts to enhance our presence in some of the world’s most significant economic markets,” said Choose New Jersey President and CEO Wesley Mathews. “Through the Center, we look forward to building bridges and sharing the incredible value proposition of New Jersey’s world-class talent, location, and innovation-fueled economy to our partners in the Asia Pacific.”

The New Jersey Asia Pacific Center is Choose New Jersey’s fifth international office. New Jersey’s other international offices are located in ​India, Israel, Germany (covering mainland Europe), and Ireland.

“We appreciate Governor Murphy’s decision to establish New Jersey’s first Asia Pacific Center in Taiwan, reflecting a strategic understanding of Taiwan’s role as a gateway to the broader Indo-Pacific region,” said Daniel Diann-Wen Tang, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “By combining our resources and expertise, we can strengthen supply chain resilience, drive innovation, and promote economic growth while upholding our shared values of democracy, freedom, and openness.”

“As we establish the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center, Choose New Jersey is showing its deepening commitment to fostering global partnerships, driving innovation, and creating opportunities for East Asian countries looking to expand to New Jersey,” said Sam Lin, Director of the New Jersey Asia Pacific Center. “I am excited to lead the team that will work to advance Choose New Jersey’s mission in this new capacity.”

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