Gas
Taiwan plans liquefied natural gas purchases from Alaska
Taiwan's Economic Affairs Ministry says the island plans to buy 6 million metric tons of LNG annually from an upcoming U.S. project.
Key points
- State-owned CPC Corporation signed a letter of intent for the Alaska project in March 2025.
- Taiwan could invest up to $4.4 billion in the development, with supply targeted to start by 2032.
- U.S. President Donald Trump described the arrangement as one of the biggest deals ever made.
What happened
According to WFTV, Taiwan intends to purchase 6 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas annually from a proposed U.S. pipeline project in Alaska. Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that state-owned CPC Corporation signed a letter of intent for the project in March 2025 following more than a year of negotiations.
The initiative could involve an investment of up to $4.4 billion from Taiwan. If development proceeds as scheduled, the project is expected to begin supplying the island by 2032 at the earliest.
U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the arrangement at an Alaska rally, stating that Taiwan agreed to purchase 30 percent of the pipeline's gas for 20 years. WFTV noted that Taiwan's official statement did not specify the duration of the commitment.
Why it matters
According to the Taiwanese ministry, long-term energy procurement and project investment will help diversify the island's natural gas supply, enhance operational flexibility, and deepen bilateral cooperation with the United States.
The agreement coincides with broader diplomatic and security dynamics involving the United States, Taiwan, and China. Beijing views Taiwan as its territory and has opposed official exchanges and arms sales between Washington and Taipei.
What comes next
Specific investment arrangements, shareholding ratios, and contract terms will be determined through subsequent commercial negotiations between the parties, according to Taiwan's Economic Affairs Ministry.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
21.9% of electricity in the world came from gas in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
