Gov. Hobbs to visit Taiwan this weekend to talk TSMC business

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs plans to pay a visit to Taiwan this weekend to meet with the president and semiconductor business leaders.

BY ROXANNE DE LA ROSA

Mar 14, 2025, 6:15 PM

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Watch: Mayor Kate Gallego shares details about new $100 billion investment from TSMC | 8 mins

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs will pay a visit to Taiwan this weekend to meet with the president and semiconductor business leaders.

Hobbs is scheduled to meet with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and executives with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) on Saturday. Her visit will help solidify semiconductor business relations between Taiwan and Arizona, according to the Arizona Office of the Governor.

Why is Hobbs visiting the president and TSMC leaders?

Both sides want to keep the momentum going after TSMC poured another $100 billion investment to expand its presence across the state. Hobbs will be accompanied by Arizona Commerce Authority President and CEO Sandra Watson.

“I’m thrilled by Arizona’s emergence as America’s hub for advanced manufacturing, creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and bringing billions of dollars of investment into our state. I am laser-focused on cementing Arizona as America’s top market for business and innovation,” Hobbs said in a Friday release.

“We will continue our success by capitalizing on our growth in the semiconductor industry and further building our ecosystem, attracting key companies from around the world at the cutting-edge of technology development and emerging industries like AI.”

TSMC already has billions invested in Arizona

Earlier this month, TSMC announced plans to build three additional semiconductor factories, or fabs, two advanced packaging facilities and a research and development center. The new $100 billion investment will create 40,000 construction jobs over the next four years and tens of thousands of well-paid tech and manufacturing jobs.

TSMC is the world’s biggest semiconductor manufacturer, producing chips for companies including Apple and Intel. The global chipmaker previously invested $65 billion to build three fabs in north Phoenix.

Hobbs toured TSMC’s Fab 21 when it opened this year to begin chip production.

Under Hobbs’ tenure, the state is known for leading the country in semiconductor investments and jobs.

Other Arizona company investments under her belt include a $2 billion Amkor semiconductor packaging facility in Peoria and a $5.5 billion investment by LG Energy Solution for a Queen Creek battery manufacturing complex.