Arizona welcomes new Taiwan representative office, rejecting warning from China

Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan’s foreign minister, arrived in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday for a three-day visit highlighting deepening economic ties between Washington and Taipei. This visit came days after the Xi-Trump summit, where China pressed the US to harden its stance on Taiwan. The trip did not include stops in Washington, nor meetings with State Department officials, potentially to avoid conflict with Beijing.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs attended the opening of a new Taiwanese economic and cultural office in Phoenix alongside Taiwanese leaders. This is their 14th such office in the United States, aiming to promote tech collaboration, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing, while serving an increasing number of Taiwanese migrants. Despite pressure from China, Arizona welcomed this move, underscoring growing support for Taiwan among US states.