AZ Gov. Doug Ducey to Visit the Same Taiwanese Chip Maker as Pelosi

After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made an unprecedented trip to Taiwan that riled up the Chinese government, Arizona Republican Governor Doug Ducey is following suit.

Ducey has planned a three-day trip beginning on Tuesday with the express purpose of meeting with not only Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, but with the same semiconductor company that also met with Pelosi: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC). TSMC is the world’s largest contract chip maker and is building a $12 billion plant in Arizona.

The current investment is Arizona’s largest foreign direct investment in state history. 

In 2020, TSMC purchased more than 1,100 acres of property in north Phoenix and started building the fab, or first phase, of the plant. TSMC will produce its five-nanometer semiconductor at the plant. According to TSMC, once the facility is up and running, it will use the most cutting-edge chip production technology in the nation.

Trade between Arizona and Taiwan totaled $1.92 billion in 2021.

Despite China’s express warnings for US officials to stay out of Taiwan and the subsequent firing of missiles after Pelosi’s visit, Ducey marks the fourth politician (including Pelosi) to ignore the demand.

China says that Taiwan is Chinese territory while Taiwan claims sovereignty. China has condemned all claims of the latter.

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