CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A visit by the president of Taiwan to Wyoming remains a definite possibility despite Gov. Mark Gordon’s recent skirmish with Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr over the issue, Gordon said Thursday.
Gordon’s s staff members remain in contact with President Tsai Ing-wen’s office about visiting during Cheyenne Frontier Days, a celebration of rodeo and Western culture held every year in late July.
Gordon’s office also has been in touch with the U.S. State Department and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about the logistics of a visit. The Taiwanese delegation would visit Wyoming by way of Colorado, Gordon said at a news conference.
“The president of Taiwan is quite anxious to come to Wyoming,” Gordon said.
In a June 3 news release, Orr accused Gordon of slamming his fists on a table and yelling profanity at her during a meeting about coordinating planning for the visit.
Gordon apologized for using foul language. Orr spokesman Michael Skinner said Thursday he’s not aware of any lingering tension between Orr and Gordon.
Tsai has become a somewhat frequent traveler to the U.S., visiting Texas in 2018 and Hawaii in March. Her visits draw criticism from China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province.
Wyoming seeks to export coal and larger volumes of beef to Taiwan. The state opened a trade office in Taipei during an October visit by then-Gov. Matt Mead, state lawmakers and other Wyoming officials.
___
Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver
Please read our comment policy before commenting.