Taiwan’s foreign minister to visit Arizona to deepen economic ties

Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung is set to travel to Phoenix this Saturday, following his previous visits to Belize and Guatemala. The purpose of his trip is to enhance economic ties between Taiwan and Arizona, as well as to strengthen support for Taiwanese companies investing in the United States. Lin will attend the inauguration of Taiwan's new representative office in Phoenix, meet with state and city officials, and visit Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's factory in Arizona.

The visit comes a week after US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, where they agreed to maintain a trade truce until early 2027. During the meeting, Xi urged the US to "oppose" Taiwan independence, marking a shift from Washington's longstanding stance on the self-ruled island. Taiwan remains a contentious issue in US-China relations, as Beijing claims the democratic island as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to take control if necessary, while Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claim.

The US formally recognizes Beijing but maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan and is its primary security partner. Taiwan has leveraged its expertise in the tech supply chain as a diplomatic tool, arguing that Trump's efforts to re-industrialize the US and rebuild its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities depend on Taiwan's assistance.

China has been attempting to persuade countries worldwide to abandon Taiwan's recognition. Taiwan has maintained recognition from several Central American nations until recently, when Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras switched their ties to China, leaving only Guatemala and Belize as the region's remaining allies.