Six-party agreement advances Arizona–Taiwan cooperation
From left, Yao-Ching Hsieh of National Sun Yat-sen University, Jennifer Allen of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai, Fernando Garcia of the Arizona Commerce Authority, Timothy Thomure of the City of Tucson, and Tomás Díaz de la Rubia of the University of Arizona, pose at a signing ceremony on March 13 in Tucson. The group co-signed a six-party Memorandum of Understanding.
Stacy Pigott / Office of Research & Partnerships
In March 2026, the University of Arizona joined leaders from Southern Arizona and Southern Taiwan in signing a six-party memorandum of understanding to collaborate across the global semiconductor ecosystem.
Partners in the agreement include National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), Kaohsiung City Government, the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pima County, and the City of Tucson. The agreement builds on a 2023 partnership between the U of A and NSYSU, expanding that bilateral relationship into broader regional cooperation.
"International collaboration is vital for the University of Arizona's role in advancing research and innovation that drive our state and global economies," said President Suresh Garimella, as reported by Pima County Economic Development. "This is particularly true for the semiconductor industry, which we are committed to supporting for Arizona's economic future."
The MOU focuses on three areas: strengthening semiconductor supply chain resilience, building talent through academic exchange and workforce development, and deepening institutional ties between government, university, and industry partners in both regions.
The signing reflects how the U of A has steadily built its Taiwan relationships, which first centered education. In January, President Garimella traveled to Taiwan to formalize a separate partnership with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), establishing a Talent & Innovation Hub connecting education, research, and industry.
NYCU, embedded in Hsinchu Science Park (Taiwan's equivalent of Silicon Valley) pioneered Taiwan's semiconductor research, including the creation of the country's first transistor in 1965. In the decades since, NYCU has trained generations of engineers and executives who built and continue to lead the industry at the center of that transformation.
Southern Arizona also brings recognized expertise to the relationship. The region is internationally known as "Optics Valley," anchored by the U of A College of Optical Sciences and a cluster of research institutions and companies whose work in advanced sensors, precision manufacturing, and imaging systems is fundamental to semiconductor technology.
That expertise has become increasingly important as Taiwan's semiconductor leadership expands into Arizona. Per Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, the company has already committed $165 billion to manufacturing facilities in the state. Taiwan is now Arizona's second-largest trading partner, with more than $21.2 billion in total trade in 2025.