Arizona opens new Taiwan representative office, rejecting warning from China

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Taiwanese leaders inaugurated a new economic and cultural office in Phoenix on Monday, despite warnings from China to stop the initiative. The office aims to foster collaboration between Taiwanese businesses and citizens in the region, particularly in technology and semiconductor manufacturing. The office is the 14th established by Taiwan in the United States.

Chinese authorities have expressed opposition to the office, citing it as a political maneuver to strain relations between the two nations. Hobbs emphasized the importance of supporting the partnership between Arizona and Taiwan, stating that it will mobilize resources to assist Taiwanese companies expanding in the state. Taiwan has been making significant investments in Arizona, with chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) committing $100 billion to expand its operations in northern Phoenix, bringing its total investment to $265 billion, the highest foreign direct investment in U.S. history.

Approximately 500 Taiwanese engineers are working at TSMC in Arizona, contributing to a growing Taiwanese community in the city.