Utahns visit Taiwan, Vietnam

The head of a small delegation of GOP lawmakers that traveled to Taiwan — on a trip arranged by a Utah lobbyist and paid for by the Taiwanese government — said it was a valuable experience.

"We're constantly criticized that we don't try to gain a broader perspective on issues, that we try to look at them only with Utah eyes," Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said Monday, the day after returning home from a 10-day visit that included a side trip to Vietnam.

"This trip represented an opportunity to really broaden our perspectives and realize that we are a world economy," he said, noting the eight lawmakers were able to build relationships with foreign officials.

No tax dollars were spent on the trip, arranged by longtime lobbyist Cap Ferry. Valentine said Ferry, a former Senate president himself, has been helping the Taiwanese government put together similar visits for a number of years.

This was Valentine's third trip to Taiwan. He said Ferry agreed to have no lobby discussions about issues other than those related to Taiwan and Vietnam.

The other members of the delegation headed by Valentine were House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy; Senate Majority Leader Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City; Senate Assistant Majority Whip Beverly Evans, R-Altamont; Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse; Sen. Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville; Rep. Bradley Last, R-St. George; Rep. Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara; and each lawmaker's spouse.

Besides spending six days in the Taiwanese cities of Taipei and Kaoshiung, all but Curtis opted to go to Vietnam. Lawmakers had to pay the cost of the three-day trip to Hanoi and a neighboring city in Vietnam, Valentine said.

In both Taiwan and Vietnam, the delegation met with government leaders. Discussions centered on education and transportation issues as well as business and technology development.

Valentine said as a result of the trip, he and Curtis will meet with university leaders in Utah to discuss a proposal to set up an exchange with Taiwanese schools so 50 Utah students can study Mandarin and 50 Taiwanese students can study English.

In Vietnam, the group had intended to spend much of the time sightseeing. But when the Vietnamese government learned of the lawmakers' planned visit through press reports, Valentine said several meetings with officials were organized.

The delegation ended up being the first to Vietnam from Utah, he said, noting the group was there on the 30th anniversary of the nation's reunification.

"We did it as a unique cultural experience," Valentine said.

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