Greater OKC strengthens Asian business ties during Japan, Taiwan visit

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber is building on its growing international relationships following a September trip to Japan and Taiwan that included meetings with business prospects, government and economic development leaders and recognition from one of Taiwan’s largest trade organizations. 

Chamber President and CEO Christy Gillenwater and Senior Vice President, Economic Development Dennis Pruitt traveled to Taipei for the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei’s 80th anniversary celebration, where the Chamber received IEAT’s Outstanding International Partner Award. The award recognizes international partners for their support of bilateral economic and trade relations. 

The recognition comes six months after the Chamber and IEAT signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen economic ties between Greater Oklahoma City and Taiwan. 

At the time, Pruitt said the goal was for the agreement to become “a living document, not just a piece of paper.” 

Since then, the two organizations have continued to build on the relationship. A delegation from Taiwan visited the Chamber this summer, and the September trip marked a reciprocal visit by Greater Oklahoma City leaders. The Chamber is also working with multiple business development prospects from Taiwan and has met with Taiwanese companies at SelectUSA and BIO, two major U.S. trade events. 

“We have kept in touch with the delegation that visited us and we just completed a reciprocal visit in September,” Pruitt said. “We are also working with multiple business development prospects from Taiwan.” 

While in Taiwan, Gillenwater and Pruitt met with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s new regional trade office as well as a business development prospect. The Chamber is also evaluating a return visit to Taiwan in 2027. 

The trip included additional economic development work before the delegation reached Taipei. During a stop in Japan, Gillenwater and Pruitt met with Hitachi Vantara, which has a significant presence in Norman; Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; the Japan Bank for International Cooperation; and another business development prospect. 

The meetings provided another opportunity to strengthen Greater Oklahoma City’s connections in Asia while introducing the region to organizations and companies involved in international investment and business development. 

The trip culminated in IEAT’s anniversary celebration and recognition of its international partners. IEAT has signed partnership agreements with 198 trade and business associations across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Asia. 

“We were very honored to be recognized as an outstanding international partner,” Pruitt said. 

For Greater Oklahoma City, the recognition marks another step in a relationship that has moved quickly from a formal agreement to reciprocal visits, ongoing business development conversations and opportunities to connect Greater Oklahoma City with companies across Taiwan and the broader Asian market.