TEXAS Governor Greg Abbott is not currently in the Lone Star State as Hurricane Beryl brings nature’s wrath to the state.
Residents of Texas coastal communities are being evacuated while a disaster declaration has been issued for 121 counties.
Who is Greg Abbott?
Greg Abbott is the governor of Texas, holding the position since 2015.
He built a profile with combative policies toward the federal government, immigration and abortion.
Where is Greg Abbott?
Greg Abbott is currently in East Asia while conducting an economic development mission in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
The governor announced the opening of a Texas-Taiwan office during a press event in Taipei.
He left the state on July 5th and will return on July 13th.
Hurricane Beryl brought 80 mph winds as it made landfall northeast of Corpus Christi around 4 a.m. when it made landfall.
Abbott’s absence leaves Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick in charge.
Patrick said in a statement as the record storm approached the state: “As acting governor, I have been in constant communication with Texas state agencies and local leaders to coordinate preparations and response, and will continue to do so.”
Abbott’s visit comes two years after Nancy Pelosi visited the island off the coast of China while she was speaker of the US House.
In a statement, Abbott said: “Texas and Taiwan are critical economic partners looking to drive the future of innovation.
“I announce two key initiatives that will help strengthen our economic relationship and promote unprecedented prosperity for our two peoples.
“Both initiatives – an economic agreement and a new State of Texas office in Taiwan – will strengthen the economic and cultural relationship between Texas and Taiwan.
“By working together, we will ensure our people have the freedom and opportunity to thrive in the growing economies of the 21st century.”
The Texas governor also met with the former president of Taiwan in 2017, when Tsai visited the US
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On this trip to Taiwan he also met with the new president, Lai Ching-te.
Taiwan is critical to U.S. companies’ supply chains, as the island is a world leader in semiconductor chips — a vital component in computers used throughout society.
Opening an economic office will increase the ability of Texans and Taiwanese to do business together.
But China claims the island as its own and authoritarian President Xi Jinping has declared he wants it back.
China regularly carries out siege exercises on the island – threatening to blockade it and possibly even invade it.
Dubbed “punishment” operations, Beijing has warned that they can easily “seize power” from Taipei if they continue to be challenged by the Taiwanese government.
China has been lurking around Taiwan for decades – with invasion threats rising in recent months.
Beryl weakened as it passed through the Gulf of Mexico, but then strengthened as it approached the coast.
The storm left a trail of destruction and death across parts of Mexico and the Caribbean.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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