Foreign minister arrives in US to tour new office

JET SET: The minister’s trip, as well as a visit by former president Tsai, are not sudden developments in response to the Trump-Xi visit, an expert said

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) late on Saturday arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, to begin a three-day visit, including the opening of Taiwan’s new representative office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

Lin is to preside over the unveiling ceremony for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Phoenix, Arizona, and meet with Taiwanese business leaders and expatriate community leaders in the region, the ministry said in a statement.

He is also to meet with Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association and the Arizona Commerce Authority.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo is pictured in Taipei in an undated photograph.

Photo: Taipei Times

American Institute in Taiwan Washington Managing Director Ingrid Larson is accompanying Lin on the Arizona trip, the ministry said.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC) investment in Arizona had prompted more Taiwanese supply chain partners to establish a deeper presence in the US, it said.

“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 has just wrapped up a week-long visit to Taiwan’s two diplomatic allies in Central America, Belize and Guatemala.

In July, the ministry said that Taiwan would open a representative office in Phoenix to bolster economic, technology, education and supply-chain cooperation with the US

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 next year. A third fab is under construction.

Once established, the Phoenix office would be Taiwan’s 14th representative office in the US, joining those in Washington, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Honolulu, Denver, Miami and Guam.

In Taipei, Foundation on Asia-Pacific Peace Studies executive officer Dong Li-wen (董立文) said Taiwan and the US have their own objectives and pace in managing their political and diplomatic relations.

The opening of Taiwan’s representative office in Phoenix and former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) planned visit to the US on Wednesday were not sudden developments or moves timed to coincide with US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last month, but part of plans agreed upon by both sides in advance, he said.