TAIPEI, Taiwan — Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero wrapped up a productive Taiwan trade and investment mission Monday with high-level meetings in Taipei, including talks with executives of a boutique airline that has twice sold out charter flights to Guam and a sit-down with Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Leon Guerrero met with senior officers of Starlux Airlines to discuss the possibility of transitioning from charter service to regularly scheduled flights between Taipei and Guam. Starlux, which operates routes across Northeast and Southeast Asia and North America, has seen strong load factors on its Guam charters in both 2025 and 2026.
“Taiwan is a growing market for Guam,” Leon Guerrero said. “Our close working relationship with TECO, the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office, is paying off not only in the tourism space but, as we’ve seen over the course of the past week, in areas as diverse as hydroponic farming, health, education, and renewables.”
The governor described a charter-first strategy as the path to long-term air connectivity. “I believe the strategy of charter flights first and then adding regularly scheduled service is a viable approach to long-term increased air connectivity,” she said, “and it is encouraging to see key players agree with us.”
The delegation also met with Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Lin Chia-lung, a Yale-educated political scientist who previously served as Taiwan’s Minister of Transportation and Communications. Leon Guerrero said Lin understands the value of stronger ties with Guam.
“He showed his appreciation for Guam’s historical ties to Taiwan and noted that we are the closest U.S. soil to his country and all of Asia,” she said. “He understands there are benefits that can accrue to his nation, our island, and the Indo-Pacific region from strengthened economic, trade, and investment ties.”
The delegation also met with Hsiao-lun Fan, CEO of Taoyuan International Airport Corporation, Taiwan’s largest airport and the home hub for Starlux, China Airlines and EVA Air. Discussions included a potential sister-airport relationship between Taoyuan and Guam’s A.B. Won Pat International Airport.
The Taipei meetings followed last week’s stop in Kaohsiung, where Guam and Taiwan’s third-largest city signed a sister-city agreement that also included commitments to increased air connectivity. That signing drew significant media coverage in the city of nearly 3 million people.
