Taiwan opens Phoenix office as $265 billion chip investment in Arizona grows, over China’s objections

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs participated in the inauguration of a Taiwanese economic and cultural office in Phoenix on Monday, defying Chinese government pressure to halt the initiative. The new office, Taiwan's 14th in the United States, aims to facilitate technology collaboration with a focus on semiconductor manufacturing and cater to the increasing number of Taiwanese migrants in the city.

After announcing the plans in July, Hobbs received two letters from China's consulate general in Los Angeles urging her to oppose the proposal. In July and again on August 21, the Chinese authorities warned her to "refute such an attempt by the Taiwan authorities and stop any political gimmicks to harm the friendship and cooperation between China and the State of Arizona."

Despite these objections, Hobbs emphasized Arizona's growing partnership with Taiwan, stating that every elected official in Arizona should demonstrate the courage to support this relationship. She added that as economic ties between the two regions deepen, resources will be mobilized to aid Taiwanese companies expanding within Arizona.

China maintains Taiwan as a breakaway province, while Taiwan asserts its independence and maintains its own government. China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between Taiwan and the U.S. at the federal or state level, according to a spokesperson for China's Embassy in the U.S. TSMC, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, has committed to investing $100 billion in expanding its operations in northern Phoenix, making its total investment in the city $265 billion, the highest foreign direct investment in U.S. history.

With approximately 500 Taiwanese engineers working to boost production at TSMC in Arizona, the city is witnessing a surge in its Taiwanese communities, with labor and delivery rooms offering Mandarin language programs.