Taiwan’s envoy, Lin Hsin‑i, had a significant meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the APEC summit hosted in Gyeongju, South Korea. Bessent emphasized the need for the island in worldwide technology supply networks. With an eye on strengthening cooperation in the semiconductor industry and highlighting supply-chain resilience, the two conversed for around 40 minutes on the margins of the conference.
A former Taiwanese economy minister now representing the island in the APEC, Lin, stated to reporters that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent showed special interest in how Taiwan created its high-tech semiconductor ecosystem. Other strategic economic problems, including supply-chain security and technology alliances, were covered widely in the discussion. Taiwan’s trading connection with the United States emerged as one obvious aspect of the conversation. Though Taiwan exports semiconductors to the U.S. tariff-free, its other goods face a 20% tax, a factor Taipei is aggressively negotiating to lower.
Though the U.S. and Taiwan do not have official diplomatic ties, Washington is a major ally and supporter of Taipei, especially in view of growing regional tensions with Beijing. Lin Hsin‑I did not address questions about any direct contact with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC 2025 Summit, and the official broadcaster Taiwan confirmed there was not any. The closing-ceremony group photograph showed no communication between the two.
Looking ahead, the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will be held in Shenzhen, a Chinese manufacturing powerhouse, in 2026, which raises new concerns about how Taiwan will negotiate its participation amid growing cross-strait military pressure and wider technology competition. For Taiwan, the interaction with the U.S. Treasury means more than just a diplomatic meeting. It underscores the island’s central place in international chip supply networks and an intentional economic discussion with strong countries at a time when geopolitics, trade, and technology are intimately connected.
