Sen. Kelly, Chris Camacho visit Taiwan to deepen economic ties and highlight Arizona investment opportunities

Published: 08/22/2023

Sen. Mark Kelly and Chris Camacho met with TSMC, semiconductor suppliers, and aerospace and drone companies

PHOENIX (Aug. 22, 2023) – Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who was a chief negotiator of the CHIPS and Science Act and successfully attached his Building Chips in America Act to streamline permitting processes into the Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), joined Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) President and CEO Chris Camacho on a trip to Taiwan last week to deepen economic ties with Taiwan and bring investment to Arizona. Kelly and Camacho met with top executives across multiple industries, toured TSMC’s facilities and joined key dignitaries and executives for the signing of an agreement between GPEC and Startup Island Taiwan that creates a pathway to help Taiwanese startups expand operations into Arizona.

To start the trip, Kelly and Camacho visited the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. Co. (TSMC), where they met with leadership to discuss the company’s Arizona site and promote greater collaboration and investment in workforce development. The delegation also visited one of TSMC’s advanced fabs, toured a manufacturing facility in Hsinchu Science Park — which serves as TSMC’s global headquarters — and saw their water treatment operations.

Later, they participated in a roundtable organized by SEMI Taiwan in which industry leaders and TSMC suppliers discussed CHIPS Act programs, planned investments in Arizona and the strong business climate in the state. Over the course of the trip, Camacho and Kelly spoke with several semiconductor companies evaluating U.S. expansion plans.

Next, Kelly and Camacho visited the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) and met with TASA officials to learn about their space initiatives, discuss collaboration and encourage their space startups to consider setting up operations in Arizona.

Later, the Senator and Camacho met with the National Development Council (NDC) of Taiwan, the country’s premier economic development and policy-planning agency, before participating in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between Startup Island TAIWAN and GPEC. The agreement, signed by Camacho and Managing Director of Startup Island TAIWAN Amanda Liu, will foster collaboration between the two organizations and create a pathway for startups funded through Startup Island TAIWAN to establish operations in Arizona. Camacho spoke about the mutually beneficial nature of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and the vast opportunities that exist for Taiwanese startups in Greater Phoenix and Arizona. With about 80% of Taiwanese startups looking to expand overseas, and the U.S. being the top target market, this partnership opens new doors for entrepreneurs seeking expansion. The Senator showed his support, sharing remarks that lauded the close cooperation and partnership in technology and innovation between Taiwan and Arizona.

Finally, in order to continue attracting investment interest to the state, Kelly and Camacho met with Taiwanese aerospace executives and talked about Arizona’s rich history and leadership in aviation. They also met with drone companies that have expressed interest in testing and validating their technology for military and commercial use in Greater Phoenix.

Throughout the trip, Camacho and Kelly shared Arizona’s history of innovation and strong workforce, emphasizing the role of the Chips and Science Act in boosting chip manufacturing in the United States. They are committed to the continued development of mutually beneficial trade and investment ties between Arizona and Taiwan.

For media inquiries contact Logan Newman at lnewman@gpec.org or 602.262.8608.