PHOENIX, AZ (March 16, 2026) — Building on record international activity and investment – leaders in Southern Arizona and Southern Taiwan signed a Six-Party Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Friday, March 13 in Tucson, Arizona to deepen collaboration across the global semiconductor ecosystem while advancing joint research and workforce development in optics, photonics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

The agreement brings together government, economic development, and academic partners from both regions, including:

• Arizona Commerce Authority
• Pima County
• City of Tucson
• University of Arizona
• Kaohsiung City Government (Taiwan)
• National Sun Yat-sen University

Together, the partners will collaborate to strengthen semiconductor supply chain resilience, expand workforce development initiatives, and deepen research partnerships between Southern Taiwan and Southern Arizona — two regions that play increasingly important roles in the global semiconductor and advanced technology ecosystem.

The memorandum focuses on three core areas of collaboration:

• Industrial Resilience: partners will promote public–private collaboration to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the semiconductor supply chain, including sharing best practices related to industrial policy, innovation, natural resource stewardship and management, and ecosystem development.
• Talent Development: the agreement creates new opportunities for academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, and workforce development partnerships between the University of Arizona and National Sun Yat-sen University, supporting the next generation of engineers and researchers across semiconductor, optics, and advanced manufacturing fields.
• Governance and Institutional Exchange: participating organizations will encourage exchanges among government leaders, universities, and institutional stakeholders to share expertise in infrastructure planning, innovation policy, and industry-supportive development strategies.

Southern Arizona is internationally recognized for its leadership in optics and photonics, anchored by the University of Arizona’s world-renowned College of Optical Sciences, College of Engineering, and College of Science and a dynamic cluster of companies and research institutions in Tucson often referred to as “Optics Valley.” These capabilities support critical semiconductor technologies including advanced sensors, precision manufacturing, imaging systems, and next-generation optical components.

The partnership connects this globally recognized optics and photonics ecosystem with Southern Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing leadership, creating new opportunities for research collaboration, workforce development, and technology commercialization across both regions.

This collaboration also reflects the growing strategic ties between Arizona and Taiwan in the semiconductor industry. Both regions are home to key elements of the global semiconductor supply chain, including major manufacturing investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in Arizona and its longstanding operations in Taiwan. Strengthening connections between Southern Taiwan and Southern Arizona supports deeper collaboration across research, supply chains, and talent development that will advance the next generation of semiconductor innovation. 

In 2025, Taiwan became Arizona’s second-largest trading partner with more than $21.2 billion in total trade. Taiwan continues to be one of Arizona’s top trading partners, with exports to Taiwan reaching $4.5 billion and $16.7 billion worth of goods imported from Taiwan in 2025.

“This MOU marks an important milestone in strengthening the valued partnership between Arizona and Taiwan,” said Sandra Watson, President & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “By deepening collaboration between our regions—both essential to the global semiconductor ecosystem—this agreement expands opportunities to work together across workforce development, research, and expand semiconductor supply chains. We look forward to building on our long‑standing relationship and driving continued innovation and economic growth alongside our partners in Taiwan.”

“International collaboration is vital for the University of Arizona’s role in advancing research and innovation that drive our state and global economies,” said U of A President Suresh Garimella. “This is particularly true for the semiconductor industry, which we are committed to supporting for Arizona’s economic future. I’m very pleased the university and our partners in this agreement will now have the opportunity to expand our impact together.” 

“Pima County and Tucson are premier global centers for optical technology,” said Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai. “Meanwhile, Kaohsiung is embracing advanced semiconductor processes and spearheading a long-term industrial transition. The core competitiveness of the semiconductor industry lies in its talent and ecosystem. Consequently, the partnership between Kaohsiung and Arizona is evolving beyond high-level policy support toward substantive integration among industry, academia, and research institutions. The core objective of this six-party Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to establish a stable and high-quality international talent pipeline. By leveraging a powerful alliance between National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) and the University of Arizona (U of A) in the fields of electrical engineering, materials science, and optics, both regions aim to capitalize on their deep-rooted industrial clusters. This collaboration will enable them to proactively address rapid shifts in the global supply chain and construct a highly resilient transnational semiconductor ecosystem.”

President Li Chih-peng of National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) expressed his gratitude to Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai for facilitating the six-party cooperation agreement.  “This agreement advances the Memorandum of Understanding signed between NSYSU and the University of Arizona in 2023 by strengthening collaboration in semiconductors, optoelectronics, artificial intelligence, and health technology. Future initiatives will focus on cultivating technology talent with a global vision through joint research projects, faculty and student exchanges, and industry-academic partnerships. These efforts align with the semiconductor development strategy of Kaohsiung and will provide vital momentum for industrial upgrading and urban innovation.”

“It is an honor for Tucson and our regional partners to join our partners in Southern Taiwan to strengthen collaboration across the semiconductor, optics, and advanced manufacturing ecosystem. Our region is internationally recognized as ‘Optics Valley,’ anchored by the University of Arizona’s world-class College of Optical Sciences,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “Tucson has long pursued economic growth that aligns with our desert values of conservation and sustainability, and through our work with the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative we are identifying strategies that build on these regional strengths. This partnership connects Tucson’s optics and photonics expertise with Southern Taiwan’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, advancing research, workforce development, and resilient supply chains. We are also encouraged by Taiwan’s global leadership in water treatment and recycling technologies used in semiconductor manufacturing, an area of innovation that is especially important for a desert community like Tucson as we pursue sustainable economic development.”

“We are excited to welcome our friends and colleagues from Taiwan,” said Jennifer Allen, Chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors. “Participating in this declaration signing is a great opportunity for Pima County to collaborate with all of our government, academic, and economic and workforce development partners. Working together, we can advance economic growth that supports our communities and protects our land, air, and water.”

By connecting Southern Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing leadership and Southern Arizona’s world-class optics and photonics ecosystem, the partnership will create a strong partnership for next-generation semiconductor innovation.

The agreement represents a shared commitment to exploring long-term collaboration that strengthens the global semiconductor ecosystem while expanding economic, academic, and technological cooperation between both regions.

Media Contact

Alyssa Tufts, Arizona Commerce Authority, [email protected]

About the Arizona Commerce Authority
The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on X @azcommerce.