TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would disrupt supply chains across the US Southeast and deal a shock to the global economy, the head of Taiwan’s representative office in Atlanta said in an op-ed published Monday.
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta Director-General Lin Chu-en (林主恩) wrote in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are closely linked to Georgia and neighboring states, per CNA.
China has stepped up military pressure on Taiwan, including large-scale exercises around the country late last year, moves Lin said were intended to coerce the democratically governed country. He warned that escalation could have far-reaching economic consequences beyond the region.
Lin argued that while some Americans view the Indo-Pacific as distant, the Taiwan Strait is a critical global shipping corridor closely linked to US commercial ports. Any blockade or conflict, he said, would disrupt trade flows.
Manufacturers across the US Southeast, including auto plants, aerospace suppliers, and medical device makers, depend on timely and predictable deliveries of components, he explained.
Taiwan also sits at the center of the global technology supply chain, producing more than 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced chips, according to Lin. Any shortages or price increases would ripple through US manufacturing and affect everyday consumers, he warned.
Lin pointed to deepening Taiwan-US cooperation, including the tariff deal completed on Jan. 15. He urged US leaders and communities to oppose any attempt to change the status quo by force.
The Taipei office in Atlanta covers Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, and promotes cooperation with Taiwan in trade and education.
