TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Arizona sent one of the largest U.S. state delegations to Taiwan this week for SEMICON Taiwan 2026, Asia's premier semiconductor trade show. Both sides are deepening a partnership built on chips, investment and shared ambitions to dominate the tech supply chain.
"We are so excited to be here in Taiwan for the SEMICON Taiwan show this year," Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, told TVBS News on Thursday (Sept. 3). "We brought with us over a hundred delegates from the state of Arizona."
The numbers underscore the stakes. Taiwan's Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) announced Wednesday (Sept. 2) that Taiwanese companies have committed US$55 billion (around NT$1.74 trillion) in U.S. investments this year. That figure is up from US$35 billion just three months ago.
For Arizona, the payoff is already clear. TSMC (台積電) alone is investing US$265 billion (around NT$8.4 trillion) in the state, according to Watson. Taiwan is now Arizona's second-largest trading partner.
But the partnership extends beyond semiconductors. Arizona is also courting Taiwanese companies in other sectors — from drones and biotech to AI, Watson explained.
"We are ranked one of the top three markets in our country for aerospace and defense," she added. "So we see strong opportunity to work with companies here in Taiwan on aerospace and defense-related activities — space, in particular; drone technology. Tremendous opportunity for us to continue to engage our business community and enhance those sectors."
The investment flow runs both ways. Kung noted that foreign investment into Taiwan reached US$139 billion (around NT$4.4 trillion) in the first seven months of 2026, up 78% from the same period last year. The figure reflects continued international confidence in the island's semiconductor ecosystem.
The largest single investment came from Micron Technology (美光科技), the U.S. memory chip giant, which converted US$75 billion (around NT$2.38 trillion) in debt to equity in its Taiwan operations. NVIDIA (輝達) also announced a US$35 billion (around NT$1.11 trillion) investment in MediaTek (聯發科).
SEMICON Taiwan 2026, which opened Wednesday and runs through Friday (Sept. 4), drew more than 1,300 companies across 4,300 booths to the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. The U.S. Pavilion was organized by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Association of State Offices in Asia. It brought together 11 economic development organizations from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Ohio and other states.
Amid growing interest from Taiwanese companies, the Arizona Commerce Authority has established "soft landing" programs to help them set up operations in the U.S., Watson explained.
"What we're creating jointly is soft landings for companies," she said. "So whether a company from Taiwan is interested in doing business in the U.S. — in Arizona — there's a soft landing program with our partners, obviously at the federal level."
The agency offers customized services including site selection, workforce connections and supply chain support. Arizona universities and community colleges are partnering with Taiwanese educational institutions to train workers for the semiconductor industry. That includes Arizona State University, the largest single-campus university in the country.
The visit marks the Arizona Commerce Authority's third delegation to Taiwan in 2026. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in July plans to open a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Phoenix, recognizing Arizona's growing role in U.S.-Taiwan semiconductor collaboration. Taiwan also opened a Trade and Investment Service Center in Phoenix in May.
On Wednesday, the Arizona Commerce Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with the Neihu Technology Park Development Association (內湖科技園區發展協會). The agreement creates a direct channel for Taiwanese companies to connect with Arizona government and industry resources.
It is the latest step in a deepening relationship between two economies — each with different needs, but one shared bet on the future of tech. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.72)