The world’s biggest chipmaker now manufactures at scale in Phoenix, as well as Taiwan. China is warning political leaders in Arizona to not get too friendly.
Transcript
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The government of Taiwan is opening a new economic and cultural office in Phoenix. The move follows a $100 billion investment push by Taiwanese tech giant TSMC there. But as KJZZ’s Greg Hahne reports, China is warning Arizona political leaders against getting too friendly.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
LIN CHIA-LUNG: Three…
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: Two, one.
(CHEERING)
GREG HAHNE, BYLINE: Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung joined Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, at an opening ceremony for the office. Andy Biggs, the Republican challenging her reelection, appeared as well. Hobbs says the office will help facilitate growing business deals between the island and Arizona.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
KATIE HOBBS: A dedicated one-stop entity to assist businesses of all sizes as they invest and scale here.
HAHNE: In just the last three years, annual trade between Taiwan and Arizona jumped from $3 billion to over 21 billion. The office will also provide consular services to Taiwanese nationals in Arizona and New Mexico. But the new office here is angering the Chinese government, which claims Taiwan as its own. It sent multiple letters to Governor Hobbs protesting the office, asking the state to stop building political ties with Taiwan. One accuses the office of lending support to Taiwan’s independence from China. Leaders here say manufacturing TSMC computer chips in the U.S. will keep America’s economy independent if the current supply from Taiwan is disrupted.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
HAHNE: And Phoenix is very much celebrating its growing economic partnership with Taiwan.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Thank you to everyone at the ballpark tonight celebrating Taiwanese heritage.
HAHNE: At a recent Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game, the cultural and economic office’s director, Kevin Chiao, threw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: A round of applause for Kevin Chiao.
HAHNE: Taiwanese trade executive Win Huang has lived in Phoenix since the ’80s.
WIN HUANG: And then here comes TSMC. All of a sudden, I run into Taiwanese people all the time.
HAHNE: Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC employs about 3,500 people at its current Phoenix operations and plans to open a second factory by the middle of next year.
For NPR News, I’m Greg Hahne in Phoenix.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.