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.