[September 25, 2025] The Barrie Chamber of Commerce was honoured to host a special roundtable discussion with Mr. Lawrence Liang, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Toronto, in partnership with The Honourable Andrea Khanjin, MPP for Barrie–Innisfil and Ontario’s Minister of Red Tape Reduction.
Director-General Liang was joined by Ms. Amber Wang, Deputy Director of TECO Toronto, Mr. Ethan Liao, Deputy Director-General of TECO Toronto and Ms. Vanny Chang, Trade Promotion Specialist with the Taiwan Trade Center, representing TAITRA, Taiwan’s foremost trade promotion organization.
The delegation painted a vivid picture of Taiwan’s economy and its drive for global partnerships. With two-thirds of the island covered by mountains and only one-third of the land available for development, Taiwan has built a culture of efficiency and innovation. This focus has helped Taiwan become a world leader in semiconductors, healthcare and precision manufacturing, making it a natural partner for Ontario businesses.
“We come here with sincerity, ready to connect and help businesses in Ontario and Taiwan grow together,”
said Director-General Liang.
For Canadian companies, Taiwan offers a gateway to world-class industry clusters where collaboration can move quickly from conversation to action. Through TAITRA, businesses can connect directly with sector leaders, arrange B2B meetings that lead to supplier relationships, technology exchanges or distribution agreements, and position themselves to enter Asian markets.
The delegation highlighted Taiwan’s strength in semiconductors, healthcare, precision manufacturing and e-mobility as areas with strong potential for collaboration. For Barrie and Simcoe County, this means opportunities for advanced manufacturers to source components or technology from Taiwan, or to find partners for joint product development. It also creates possibilities for local businesses supporting Ontario’s EV and battery supply chain to engage with Taiwan’s complete e-mobility platform, which includes everything from battery components to electronics.
Ontario, in turn, has proven to be a welcoming destination for Taiwanese investment. Programs like Supply Ontario and Invest Ontario offer financial incentives, support job creation and connect investors with a skilled workforce. The delegation pointed to a recent Taiwanese auto-parts investment in Windsor as a success story that demonstrates how these partnerships can create significant economic benefits for local communities.
After the presentation, Barrie business leaders joined in an open discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing our local economy. The question that resonated most throughout the conversation was simple but powerful:
How do we promote more growth together?
The Barrie Chamber of Commerce extends its thanks to Minister Andrea Khanjin for bringing this opportunity to our city and to the TECO and TAITRA delegation for their commitment to building lasting partnerships.