Foreign Minister Lin arrives in Arizona for representative office opening

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, late Saturday (local time) to begin a three-day visit, including the opening of Taiwan's new representative office in the city, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced Sunday.

During his stay in Arizona, Lin will preside over the unveiling ceremony for the office, officially named the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Phoenix, Arizona, and meet with Taiwanese business leaders and expatriate community leaders in the region, MOFA said in a news release.

During his three-day trip, Lin will also meet with Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Taiwan's National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association and the Arizona Commerce Authority.

American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Washington Managing Director Ingrid Larson is accompanying Lin during his Arizona trip, MOFA added.

MOFA said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (TSMC) investment in Arizona had prompted more Taiwanese supply chain partners to establish a deeper presence in the United States.

"The inauguration of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Phoenix marks a new milestone in the economic and trade partnership between Taiwan and the United States," it added.

Lin's visit to Arizona came after he had just wrapped up a week-long visit to Taiwan's two diplomatic allies in Central America, Belize and Guatemala.

In July, MOFA announced that Taiwan would open a representative office in Phoenix to strengthen economic, technology, education and supply-chain cooperation with the U.S.

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

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.