Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson will formally accept medical face masks on behalf of the State of Mississippi that are being donated by the nation of Taiwan. The event will take place on Friday, May 15, at 12:30 p.m. at the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
Director General Peter Chen of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, Texas, will present Commissioner Gipson with a box of medical face masks to represent the 100,000 masks that Taiwan has donated to the state to defend against the highly contagious COVID-19. The donated masks have been delivered to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and are currently in the supply chain.
“On behalf of the State Mississippi, I want to thank Taiwan for their generosity in providing 100,000 face masks so that our citizens and frontline workers have increased access to PPE to help protect against COVID-19. During this time, we continue to hear stories of how neighbors are helping neighbors. The State of Mississippi appreciates our ‘neighbors’ across the globe,” said Commissioner Gipson.
For the past year, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce has collaborated with the Mississippi Development Authority’s Trade Office to strengthen trade relations between Mississippi and Taiwan. Commissioner Gipson visited Taiwan in 2019 where he met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to promote Mississippi’s agriculture commodities. Following the trip, a delegation from Taiwan visited Mississippi as part of Taiwan’s Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission. Commissioner Gipson signed letters of intent with Taiwan on behalf of the state which noted Taiwan’s desire to purchase Mississippi soybeans and corn in 2020 and 2021.
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Release from Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson.
Magnolia Tribune
