Alaska’s governor, Mike Dunleavy, is visiting Taiwan this week, leading a delegation of energy executives to promote the advantages of Alaskan liquefied natural gas (LNG). The visit comes after a reversal of previous green policies and a pivot back to fossil fuels under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

The government-run Alaska Gasline Development Corporation’s spokesperson Tim Fitzpatrick confirmed Tuesday that Dunleavy, corporation representatives, and energy infrastructure developer Glenfarne are visiting a number of Asian countries this week, including Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan. He says the purpose is to advance Alaska’s LNG project and introduce its economic and strategic advantages to Taiwan’s energy policymakers and industry leaders.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to expand Alaska’s LNG exports to U.S. regions and Pacific allies. The proposed pipeline, expected to transport up to 3.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, is touted as a win-win for Alaska and U.S. allies in Asia. During a March 4 congressional address, Trump reaffirmed support for the project, citing strong interest from Japan, South Korea, and others as well as a global eagerness to invest in U.S. energy. 

In response to the Trump administration’s energy policy shift, Taiwan’s state-owned CPC Corporation is negotiating LNG imports from Alaska to help balance its trade surplus with the U.S. CPC currently sources about 20 million metric tons annually, primarily from Australia, Qatar, and the U.S.