Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves to the crowd during the Taiwan Presidential Inauguration, in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2024. File Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA
When Americans think about Taiwan, they most often think about semiconductors, geopolitics and tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
What receives far less attention is how Taiwan has been steadily increasing its economic footprint inside the United States and how a region like South Florida is quietly becoming part of that strategy.
Recent U.S. trade data place Taiwan among America’s top trading partners, with two-way trade exceeding $200 billion annually. More than 40% of Taiwan’s outbound investment now flows to the United States, reflecting a deliberate effort to anchor Taiwan’s economic future more firmly within trusted democratic partners.
“Taiwan’s presence in Florida is often underestimated,” said Charles Chou, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami. “But the commercial relationship between Taiwan, the United States and Florida is real, longstanding, and expanding in ways many people don’t fully recognize.”
In January of last year, Chou’s office helped facilitate the signing of a bilateral trade and economic cooperation MOU, enhancing ties between businesses in Florida and Taiwan. Greater Miami, in particular, plays a distinct role in that equation.
A gateway revisited
Taiwanese companies began establishing a presence in South Florida in the early 1990s, most notably in the computer and electronics sectors. Miami’s role as a logistical and financial bridge to Latin America made it an attractive base for firms seeking access to regional markets.
While some of those early ventures later shifted locations as global supply chains evolved, the logic behind Miami as a gateway never disappeared.
“Today the Taiwanese community in South Florida is more diverse than ever,” Chou said. “It is no longer concentrated in a single sector. You find Taiwanese professionals and entrepreneurs in biomedical innovation, manufacturing and distribution.”
Companies such as BioTissue and OPKO Health, along with smaller entrepreneurial ventures, illustrate how Taiwanese firms have adapted to changing market conditions while integrating into the local economy.
That gateway role also reflects Taiwan’s broader engagement across Latin America and the Caribbean. Taiwanese companies maintain commercial ties and supply-chain partnerships throughout the region, particularly in technology, manufacturing, healthcare and trade logistics. For firms operating in or with Latin America, Miami has long offered proximity to both U.S. markets and established regional networks.
“Many Taiwanese businesses view South Florida as a natural bridge to Latin America and the Caribbean,” Chou said. “It allows them to stay anchored in the United States while remaining closely connected to the region.”
This diversification reflects Taiwan’s broader economic evolution toward deeper integration with U.S. markets and institutions.
Semiconductors and strategic alignment
Any discussion of Taiwan’s economic role inevitably leads to semiconductors. Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced high-performance chips, primarily through Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.
These chips power everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to medical devices and advanced artificial intelligence systems. Their centrality to modern life has elevated Taiwan’s economic importance well beyond its borders.
For Taiwanese policymakers, strengthening ties with the United States is not only an economic choice but a strategic one.
Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, has emphasized that emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are creating new opportunities for deeper U.S.-Taiwan investment cooperation. The mutual benefit lies in combining American strengths in capital and talent with Taiwan’s advanced manufacturing expertise.
Last year, Chou’s promotion of delegation visits to the island culminated in an October trip led by Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly, during which delegates experienced Taiwan’s dynamic economy firsthand.
“The goal is integration,” Chou said. “Taiwanese businesses are not looking to operate in isolation. They want to be part of the U.S. innovation ecosystem.”
That integration increasingly depends on trusted supply chains, especially as concerns grow over geopolitical risk and market distortions elsewhere.
Florida’s quiet role
While much attention has focused on semiconductor investments in states such as Arizona and Texas, Florida’s role has been more subtle but no less strategic.
Florida is Taiwan’s ninth-largest merchandise trade partner within the Indo-Pacific region, and Miami’s connectivity to Latin America positions it as a natural hub for Taiwanese firms seeking regional reach without sacrificing proximity to U.S. markets.
“Miami sits at the intersection of North America, Latin America and the Caribbean,” Chou said. “That makes it uniquely valuable for Taiwanese companies that think globally.”
Beyond trade, cultural and educational exchanges also reinforce these ties, contributing to Miami’s identity as an international city shaped by global networks and diasporas.
Looking ahead
As global supply chains realign, Taiwan’s economic strategy is becoming more visible, even in places where it has long operated quietly. For U.S. policymakers and business leaders, understanding Taiwan’s presence at the local and regional level may be just as important as following developments in Washington or Taipei.
“Taiwan’s relationship with the United States is not abstract,” Chou said. “It’s built day by day through investment, cooperation and shared values, including here in Florida.”
Marcos Regalado is president and CEO of Aidant Inc. and an executive board member of the Latin America & Caribbean Presidential Mission, which brings together former heads of state to contribute their experience to dialogue on governance and development.
