Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt earlier this month led a delegation of state and territorial attorneys general to Taiwan to discuss state-level relations and transnational issues with senior officials.
“Taiwan is a significant trading partner for Kansas, particularly as a market for our agricultural products, and expanding our relationship is beneficial for our state,” Schmidt said. “Of course, we also have other important shared interests that extend beyond trade.”
The delegation of three attorneys general met with Vice President Chen Chien-jen, a public health professional by training, and compared experiences addressing the needs of aging populations in the two countries. The attorneys general also met with Justice Minister Chiu Tai-san and Investigation Bureau Director-General Tsai Ching-hsing to discuss transnational security issues, including money laundering, drug trafficking and cybersecurity.
In a separate meeting with Tzong-Li Hsu, president of the Judicial Yuan, the rough equivalent of chief justice of the supreme court, they discussed the ongoing process for judicial reform in Taiwan. The attorneys general shared experiences and information about the U.S. system of trial by jury.
The attorneys general also met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mainland Affairs Council, and Taiwan External Trade Development Council. They visited a women’s prison and participated in an anniversary celebration for an organization that assists released inmates with re-entry into society. They had meetings with several prosecutors from the north and central regions of the country.
“Our shared interests are extensive,” Schmidt said. “From cybersecurity to combating drug trafficking and human trafficking, our discussions addressed issues of importance to Kansas.”
Schmidt led the delegation in his capacity as president of the National Association of Attorneys General, which coordinated the visit. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States sponsored the delegation. No taxpayer funds were used.