Taiwan to open representative office in Phoenix: MOFA

Taipei, July 3 (CNA) Taiwan will open a representative office in Phoenix, Arizona, to strengthen exchanges with the United States in economics, technology, education and supply chain cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Friday.

Phoenix has become an increasingly important technology hub as Taiwanese semiconductor investment in the city expands, MOFA said in a news release.

That growth has been driven in part by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, whose Arizona campus has attracted more Taiwanese suppliers to set up local operations.

TSMC's first fab in Arizona began mass production in the fourth quarter of 2024, while construction of a second fab has been completed and production is expected to begin in the second half of 2027. A third fab is currently under construction.

Earlier this year, Taiwan and Phoenix signed a memorandum of understanding to cultivate high-tech talent and deepen cooperation in AI-driven industries, MOFA said.

The ministry did not give a timeline for when the new office will open.

Once established, the Phoenix office will become Taiwan's 14th representative office in the U.S., joining those in Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Honolulu, Denver, Miami and Guam.

This expansion is a testament to the strength, depth, and enduring vitality of the U.S.-Taiwan partnership, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a post on Facebook.

Arizona has emerged as a dynamic center of Taiwan's high-tech presence in the U.S., attracting a growing constellation of supply chain companies and cementing the thriving U.S.-Taiwan partnership in semiconductors and advanced technology, it said.