Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (R) and Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs unveil the plaque for the new Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Phoenix on Oct. 5, 2026. Courtesy of Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Taiwan opened a new representative office in Phoenix on Oct. 5, with Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and other elected officials joining the ceremony despite objections from China’s Consulate General in Los Angeles.
Hobbs joined Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), American Institute in Taiwan Managing Director Ingrid Larson, and other officials for the opening of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, or TECO. More than 200 officials, Taiwanese American community leaders, and representatives of Taiwanese companies attended, according to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry.
The Phoenix location is Taiwan’s 14th representative office in the United States. It will serve Arizona and New Mexico and provide services to Taiwanese nationals and businesses while supporting economic, technology and other exchanges.
China’s Los Angeles consulate had sent multiple letters to Hobbs protesting plans for the office after Taiwan announced them in July, according to KJZZ, Phoenix’s NPR member station.
At the opening, Hobbs welcomed the new office and said Arizona would continue strengthening its relationship with Taiwan through trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
“Across our state, Taiwanese families, restaurants, small businesses, cultural festivals, and community organizations are enriching Arizona’s vibrant and diverse communities,” Hobbs said.
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Taiwan became Arizona’s second-largest trading partner in 2025, with more than $21.2 billion in two-way trade, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Arizona exported $4.5 billion in goods to Taiwan and imported $16.7 billion. Trade between the two sides has grown by more than 780 percent since 2020.
Much of Taiwan’s economic footprint in Arizona is tied to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
TSMC says its planned Arizona investment has grown from $12 billion in 2020 to $265 billion, representing what the company calls the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield, or new-build, project in U.S. history. Its current plans include six semiconductor fabrication plants, two advanced-packaging facilities and a research and development center.
During his Arizona visit, Lin toured TSMC’s facilities and met with companies in its supply chain. He also visited the Halo Vista development near the TSMC complex and Arizona State University’s Polytechnic Innovation Zone.
Before the opening ceremony, Lin met separately with Hobbs and Gallego to discuss two-way investment, workforce development, technology, and industrial cooperation, according to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry.
Hobbs and Lin also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Arizona Commerce Authority and Taiwan’s National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association.
The agreement calls for connecting companies and investors in Arizona and Taiwan, expanding workforce development and research partnerships, and increasing cooperation among universities, research institutions, and industry.
