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Taiwan, Arizona ink MOU on industrial cooperation

Taiwan concluded a memorandum of understanding on industrial cooperation with the U.S. state of Arizona Sept. 2 in Taipei City, spotlighting their joint commitment to further cementing the bilateral partnership, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.   The accord was signed by Jeff Lin, CEO of the ministry’s Taiwan-USA Industrial Cooperation Promotion Office, and Steve Hsu, representative of the Arizona-Taiwan Trade and Investment Office. The event was witnessed by Chen Pei-li, deputy director general of the MOEA’s Industrial Development Administration, and Sandra Watson, president and CEO of Arizona Commerce Authority.   Under the pact, the two sides will deepen unmanned aerial vehicle and semiconductor collaboration while boosting high-tech personnel exchanges.   According to Chen, Taiwan and the U.S. should work together to build a supply chain free from China’s influence for the sake of both sides’ national security, as Beijing accounts for 60-70 percent of the global commercial drone market. The government provides subsidies for developing critical UAV components, including parts used in communications, flight control and artificial intelligence image recognition, she said, adding that the country also established the Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County to integrate resources from over 30 manufacturers. Equally important is strengthening the two sides’ semiconductor equipment cooperation, which will lay the foundation for chip production, Chen said. She added that Taiwan has a proven track record in cultivating semiconductor personnel and that more exchanges and training are expected to further expand the joint talent pool.   In response, Watson said her delegation includes representatives from prestigious schools such as Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, adding that they will meet with counterparts from Industrial Technology Research Institute and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University during their visit.   Lin additionally extolled the two sides’ growing ties, as evidenced by the establishment of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s Arizona operations, and noted that ITRI’s North America branch and the Chiayi UAV center inked an MOU on resource sharing in April. Hsu said Taiwan and Arizona share similar economic goals and industrial strengths, adding that the latest MOU demonstrates their solid alliance and common visions. (YCH-E)   Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw