Taiwan is deepening its economic footprint in the American Southwest, a positive sign for Taiwanese firms expanding in the US and for Arizona's chip supply chain.

• Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is in Phoenix with a business delegation to open Taiwan's new office there.
• He is meeting Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, with the head of the American Institute in Taiwan along for the whole trip.
• TSMC's big Arizona plants have pulled Taiwanese suppliers over with them, and the trip is meant to find out what those companies need on the ground.
• Arizona's commerce agency is signing a cooperation deal with Taiwan's innovation and startup association.
• Taipei is framing the relationship as moving from partners with shared interests to partners who share the gains.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan to push more trade, education, and supply-chain tie-ups across Arizona and New Mexico, using Phoenix as its base in the US Southwest.