TAIPEI, Aug 31 (Reuters) – The U.S.-Taiwan relationship has “never been stronger” and Taiwan is helping to re-industrialise the United States with its tech investments, the top American diplomat in Taipei said on Monday.
While the U.S., like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, it is the island’s most important international backer and arms supplier.
Taiwanese companies have been investing billions of dollars in the U.S., led by TSMC’s $265 billion investment in the state of Arizona.
Speaking at an event ahead of this week’s SEMICON chip trade show in Taipei, to be attended by senior executives from companies including Microsoft and Google, Raymond Greene, the de facto U.S. ambassador to Taipei, praised bilateral relations.
“Our ties with Taiwan have never been stronger, especially as our cooperation deepens across high-tech and advanced manufacturing sectors,” he said, noting last year marked a record-breaking period for Taiwan’s foreign direct investment in the U.S.
“Taiwan is helping to re-industrialise America, starting with investments in Arizona and Texas, and U.S. companies are growing their tech partnerships by setting up operations in Hsinchu and Taipei,” Greene added, referring to Taiwan’s main semiconductor hub.
U.S. President Donald Trump has on occasion criticised Taiwan for “stealing” American semiconductor business, a perception Taiwan’s government says is unfair even as it has backed its companies to increase their U.S. investments.
Speaking at the same event as Greene, a U.S. Commerce Department official who oversees the government programme to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing, called the CHIPS Act, said that plan is “securing American prosperity and innovation for decades to come”.
“President Trump and the administration are committed to not just reshoring semiconductor manufacturing, but creating American jobs and building the careers that make our nation and people great,” said Bill Frauenhofer, executive director of semiconductor investment and innovation at Commerce.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
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