TAIPEI – The Taiwanese Executive Yuan announced on Thursday that a Taiwanese delegation, led by Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫), will depart for the United States this Saturday to participate in the ‘2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit’ held in Maryland from Sunday to Wednesday.
At a press conference that day, Executive Yuan spokesperson Li Hui-chih (李慧芝) stated that the purpose of this delegation's visit to the United States is to deepen industrial and technological cooperation between Taiwan and the US. Originally, the delegation was scheduled to be led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), but due to tight negotiation schedules between Taiwan and the US, Secretary-General Kung will lead the delegation instead.
The SelectUSA Investment Summit, hosted by the US Department of Commerce, is known as the premier event for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United States. In a statement, the Executive Yuan said that this summit aims to strengthen connections between international companies and the US market. It also added that the summit is attended annually by senior US officials, state and local economic development agency representatives, industry leaders, and corporate executives to discuss the investment environment, industry trends, and new opportunities.
The SelectUSA Investment Summit serves as a crucial platform that provides potential investors with in-depth market information and creates direct business cooperation opportunities. The Executive Yuan emphasized that this event is an optimal venue for global companies to seize opportunities to enter the US market and expand their businesses.
Notably, this year's summit will see the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which effectively acts as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), playing a key coordinating role, providing customized plans to help Taiwan's major industries successfully enter the US market.
According to the Executive Yuan, the Taiwanese delegation comprises representatives from a wide range of industries, including information and communication technology (ICT), semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), chemical engineering, biotechnology, smart manufacturing, aerospace, and financial services. This demonstrates the Taiwanese government's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the US, particularly in high-tech sectors, and diversifying investment attraction.
In addition to the summit, AIT will host sub-group events focusing on three specific areas: semiconductors, AI and quantum technology, and drones. These separate events are expected to provide substantial assistance to Taiwanese companies in exploring in-depth cooperation opportunities with US companies and further expanding their presence in the US market.
Importance and Background of US-Taiwan Economic Cooperation
The United States and Taiwan have maintained a close economic partnership for a long time. Particularly in the high-tech sector, the two countries have built a mutually complementary relationship and play a significant role in the global supply chain. Taiwan possesses world-class semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, and US high-tech companies heavily rely on Taiwan's high-quality semiconductors. This interdependence is a key characteristic of the economic relationship between the two countries.
In recent years, as strategic competition between the US and China has intensified, the US has increasingly focused on ensuring the stability and diversity of its supply chains. In this context, Taiwan's importance as a key partner of the US has become even more prominent. The US is promoting the development of its domestic semiconductor industry through measures such as the ‘CHIPS Act’ while also strengthening cooperation with allies to reduce its reliance on China.
Taiwan also considers economic cooperation with the US to be increasingly important for strengthening its economic security and expanding its international standing. Especially amid rising military threats from China, a strong economic bond with the US can be a crucial strategic asset for Taiwan.
Significance of the SelectUSA Investment Summit and Goals of the Taiwan Delegation
The SelectUSA Investment Summit is the most prestigious event organized by the US government to attract foreign direct investment. Every year, leading company representatives and government officials from around the world attend to explore investment opportunities and discuss strategies for entering the US market.
The main goals of the Taiwanese delegation participating in the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit are as follows:
Expand Investment Attraction in Advanced Technology Sectors: The top priority is to attract investment from US companies in cutting-edge technology sectors, such as semiconductors, AI, and quantum technology, which are considered future growth engines, and to strengthen technological cooperation.
Explore Opportunities to Enter the US Market: To support promising Taiwanese companies in successfully entering the US market and to identify local partnerships and investment opportunities. In particular, to explore practical cooperation measures in specific industrial sectors through sub-group events hosted by AIT.
Strengthen the Linkage of Industrial Ecosystems between the Two Countries: To discuss ways to more closely connect the industrial ecosystems of Taiwan and the US, promote mutual benefits, and enhance global competitiveness. This aims for building long-term partnerships beyond simple investment attraction.
Promote Taiwan's Technological Capabilities and Investment Attractiveness: To actively promote Taiwan's excellent technological capabilities and stable investment environment to the international community through this summit and to attract the attention of global investors.
Cooperation Prospects by Major Participating Industry Sectors
The Taiwanese delegation comprises representatives from various advanced industrial sectors, raising expectations for specific cooperation outcomes with the US in each field.
Semiconductors: As a world leader in semiconductor manufacturing, Taiwan can play a crucial role in the US's efforts to strengthen its semiconductor supply chain. The two countries are expected to further deepen their interdependent relationship through research and development collaboration and expansion of production facility investments. In particular, in line with the recent US policy to expand domestic semiconductor production facilities, Taiwanese companies are highly likely to increase their investments in the US.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Technology: AI and quantum technology are key drivers of future industries, and both the US and Taiwan are actively fostering these fields. This summit is expected to see discussions on joint research and development, technology exchange, and human resource development cooperation between companies and research institutions from both countries. In particular, combining Taiwan's excellent hardware manufacturing capabilities with the US's software and algorithm development capabilities could create significant synergy effects.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Taiwan also possesses strong competitiveness in the ICT industry and has significant potential for cooperation with the US in next-generation communication technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT). The two countries are expected to lead the global ICT market through joint development of technology standards and market entry cooperation.
Biotechnology and Smart Manufacturing: With the advent of an aging society, the importance of the biotechnology industry is growing, and smart manufacturing technology for the digital transformation of manufacturing is also emerging as a key element. Combining Taiwan's biotechnology capabilities with the US's innovative smart manufacturing solutions could create new growth engines.
Aerospace and Financial Services: The aerospace industry is a concentration of advanced technology and a crucial sector directly related to national security. Cooperation between Taiwan's relevant technological capabilities and the US's aerospace industry capabilities can create synergy. In the financial services sector, expanding investment and financial cooperation between the two countries can strengthen economic ties.
Conclusion and Outlook
The Taiwanese delegation's participation in the SelectUSA Investment Summit is an important step that demonstrates the strong will of the Taiwanese government to build a long-term and strategic economic cooperation relationship with the United States, going beyond simple investment attraction. In particular, strengthening cooperation in advanced technology sectors is expected to bring mutually beneficial results to both countries.
The US will be able to secure a stable advanced technology supply chain, and Taiwan will be able to further solidify its economic security by expanding its access to the US market and strengthening its technological competitiveness. Additionally, the separate sub-group events hosted by AIT are likely to create practical business cooperation opportunities and lead to concrete achievements between companies from both countries.
The United States and Taiwan are expected to continue close cooperation in various fields, including economy, technology, and security. This SelectUSA Investment Summit is expected to serve as an important opportunity to further deepen and develop this cooperative relationship. The international community's attention is focused on the activities and achievements of the Taiwanese delegation.
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