MCALLEN, Texas — RioPlex, the regional economic development organization established to market the binational region of the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Tamaulipas to international investors, is preparing to send a trade delegation to Taiwan as part of its expanding global outreach initiative.
Mario Reyna, executive director of RioPlex, disclosed the upcoming trade mission during a wide-ranging podcast interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, emphasizing that the binational region is positioning itself as a prime manufacturing and nearshoring destination for global companies seeking to enter the North American market.
Reyna indicated that details regarding the delegation’s visit to Taiwan will be finalized in the coming months, with the trip anticipated within the next six to nine months.
"We are planning on going to Taiwan," Reyna said. "Taiwan is a major country... people will make a decision soon whether they want to stay there or not, and this is going to be a good location for them to move to."
Reyna added that the trip builds on preliminary international engagements already underway, noting that a RioPlex team member was in Taiwan recently following an invitation tied to an economic event in Dallas.
The upcoming Taiwan mission follows a highly successful RioPlex trade event held Sept. 9–10 in Mexico City, which drew more than 150 participants. According to Reyna, approximately 60 percent of attendees represented international interests and diplomatic bodies eager to learn about the bi-national trade corridor.
Diplomatic representatives and trade officials in attendance included representatives from the embassies of Singapore, Sweden, Israel, and Chile, alongside delegates from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the American-Mexican Chamber of Commerce.
"There are a lot of folks there that have an interest in our region. They want to know, 'What is RioPlex?'" Reyna said, adding that ongoing communications have continued with several foreign embassies in Mexico City following the summit.
Reyna also noted recent diplomatic touchpoints in India, pointing to major Indian investments occurring across the U.S., including Zoho Corporation’s expansion in Edinburg, where the global tech firm purchased over 1,000 acres to develop a technology campus.
"India is a major economic power," Reyna noted. "We're going to hear a lot about India in the coming years, and we need to be ready for the investment that they're going to bring."
Highlighting massive infrastructure and industrial investments across South Texas—including multi-billion-dollar data centers, liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities, and defense manufacturing projects like Saronic in Brownsville—Reyna estimated that regional economic activity could soon track between $40 billion and $80 billion in capital investments.
"When you start thinking about that kind of money flowing through our economic system, it's just mind-boggling how this place is going to be," Reyna said, comparing the Rio Grande Valley's growth trajectory to the rapid expansion seen in the San Antonio-Austin metroplex. "Because not only are the buildings going to be built, but that requires infrastructure to go along with it. Think about all the jobs that are going to be created."
Addressing regional automotive supply chains, Reyna cited the 400-mile supplier radius utilized by major vehicle manufacturers in San Antonio, such as Toyota. He noted that trade policies under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)—which mandate high regional value content and specific labor value requirements—make the Rio Grande Valley an ideal manufacturing hub for regional supply chains.
However, capitalizing on incoming industrial growth requires addressing local workforce development needs, specifically targeting the estimated 250,000 adults in the region without a high school diploma.
"Trade policy will change... and this is going to be a prime location for many reasons," Reyna emphasized. "So we just have to be ready. We have to get those 250,000 people educated so we can support the industry that's coming here."
To strengthen governance and regional alignment, the RioPlex Board of Directors authorized a policy change last week to invite the county judges of Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Starr counties to serve as ex-officio honorary board members.
Reyna stated that RioPlex plans to execute formal proclamations with the four county judges and municipal counterparts in Northern Tamaulipas between December and January to solidify binational cooperation.
In addition, RioPlex will convene an exclusive strategy session on Oct. 21 with its "Visionary Partners"—investors and stakeholders contributing $25,000 or more to the initiative—to outline strategic objectives for the upcoming year.
"We are very thankful for everybody that's involved with RioPlex," Reyna said. "We have an idea that a lot of industry is going to move this way. We just have to be ready for that."
