US-Taiwan ties ‘never been stronger’, top diplomat in Taipei says

TAIPEI – The US-Taiwan relationship has “never been stronger” and Taiwan is helping to re-industrialise the United States with its tech investments, the top American diplomat in Taipei said on Monday (Aug 31).While the US, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, it is the island’s most important international backer and arms supplier.Taiwanese companies have been investing billions of dollars in the US, led by TSMC’s US$265 billion (S$337 billion) investment in the state of Arizona.Speaking at an event ahead of this week’s SEMICON chip trade show in Taipei, to be attended by senior executives from companies including Microsoft and Google, Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador to Taipei, praised bilateral relations.”Our ties with Taiwan have never been stronger, especially as our co-operation deepens across high-tech and advanced manufacturing sectors,” he said, noting last year marked a record-breaking period for Taiwan’s foreign direct investment in the US.