The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham) released the 31st edition of its annual Taiwan White Paper on June 16, marking the chamber's 75th anniversary at a moment of historic momentum in U.S.-Taiwan economic relations — driven by a new bilateral trade agreement, record commerce figures, and a deepening technology partnership.
$256 Billion and Climbing: How U.S.-Taiwan Trade Hit an All-Time High
Two-way trade exceeded $256 billion last year, fuelled by a nearly 35% rise in Taiwanese exports to the U.S. and an almost 30% increase in imports. The United States became Taiwan's largest overall trading partner for the first time in years, while Taiwan climbed to fourth place among America's trading partners — its highest ranking ever, behind only Mexico, Canada and China. Bilateral trade jumped a further 70% year-on-year in the first four months of 2026.
Why TSMC, Nvidia and the AI Boom Are Reshaping Bilateral Ties
The surge is driven by deep collaboration in artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Major U.S. firms including AWS, Nvidia, Google, Microsoft and Micron have launched significant new investments in Taiwan, while FedEx and UPS opened logistics hubs near Taoyuan airport. In the other direction, TSMC's Phoenix campus — ultimately six fabs, 12,000 employees and $165 billion in total investment — has placed Taiwan at the heart of U.S. semiconductor strategy. GlobalWafers and MediaTek are also expanding in the United States, backed by planned industrial parks in Arizona and Texas. Taiwan's inclusion in the Pax Silica trusted-supply-chain initiative further underlines the strategic depth of the partnership.
70% of Regulatory Issues Still Pending — AmCham Sees a Clear Roadmap Ahead
This year's White Paper introduces a more granular tracking system that scores individual sub-issues rather than broad committee suggestions. Of 237 points raised in 2025, only seven were fully resolved and 49 showed meaningful progress, with nearly 70% still under observation or stalled. AmCham presents the data as a practical roadmap for joint action, not a verdict.
"Our updated methodology gives us a clearer map of where we can combine efforts with the government to build a more resilient investment environment," said Chairperson Anita Chen. "Taiwan remains an indispensable, trusted global supply chain partner, and we look forward to working hand-in-hand to foster joint economic success."
The 221 recommendations across 24 industry committees focus on four priorities: full implementation of the new U.S.-Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART); strengthening energy and infrastructure resilience; deepening technology partnerships; and improving governance and talent policy. The report also urges Washington to pass long-awaited double-taxation avoidance legislation to unlock further investment potential.
From the Taiwan Relations Act to the AI Era: AmCham's Enduring Role
Since its founding in 1951, AmCham has played a consistent role in the bilateral relationship — from policy ideas incorporated into the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to advocating for Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2002. The 2026 White Paper appears in the June edition of Taiwan Business Topics .
*Source: AmCham Taiwan, 2026 Taiwan White Paper; AmCham Press Release, June 16, 2026* （Related： AmCham Hails U.S.–Taiwan Trade Agreement as Key Milestone ｜ Latest ）
