TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles said Sunday that more than 300 “TSMC babies” have been born locally, reflecting the growth of Taiwanese communities alongside TSMC’s industrial expansion in Arizona.

The Los Angeles office held a Lunar New Year gathering on Sunday, attended by several elected officials, including US Rep. Judy Chu and California State Assemblymember Mike Fong, per CNA. Director-General Amino Chi (紀欽耀) said Taiwan-US trade has grown closer since TSMC began building fabs in Arizona.

The office serves around 400,000 overseas Taiwanese in Southern California and also oversees Arizona as a key jurisdiction. Since TSMC established operations in Phoenix, its workload has increased substantially.

Chi said one of the first needs for engineers and their families arriving in the US is obtaining a driver’s license. Under a reciprocal agreement, Taiwanese licenses must first be authenticated by the representative office before applicants can apply for an Arizona license with local authorities.

He said families of the more than 300 newborns must also authenticate birth certificates and apply for Taiwanese passports through the office. “We hope to provide the strongest possible support for TSMC personnel and their families to help make their lives more convenient,” he said.

Chi said TSMC plans to invest NT$5.18 trillion (US$165 billion) in the US, describing it as the largest single foreign investment project in US history. The investment is expected to attract suppliers and gradually form an industrial cluster that could develop into a technology park.

He said Taiwan-US relations continue to make significant progress, with the government seeking the best development opportunities for citizens and businesses. Despite earlier tariff concerns, the recent signing of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade marked an important breakthrough, helping Taiwan maintain advantages in economic engagement with Washington.