AmCham Taiwan Releases 2026 White Paper, Urges Energy Security to Be Treated as National Security Issue

The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan) today released its 2026 Taiwan White Paper, highlighting critical issues including power supply reliability, U.S.-Taiwan defense cooperation in drones, and AI policy. The chamber emphasized that ensuring a stable and sufficient energy supply should be elevated to a national security concern.

At a press conference in Taipei, AmCham Taiwan’s Executive Director Carl Wegner stated that the organization acknowledges Taiwan’s progress in providing predictable and stable electricity, as well as strengthening its power grid. This year’s white paper prioritizes "Energy and Infrastructure Resilience," urging that energy sufficiency and grid resilience be formally integrated into national security discussions.

The white paper notes that energy supply reliability consistently ranks among the top concerns in AmCham’s annual Business Climate Survey. With soaring demand from AI-related operations and additional supply and cost pressures arising from geopolitical tensions such as the Iran conflict, the importance of energy security has intensified. The report stresses that only through regularly updated energy roadmaps can stakeholders make informed business decisions.

In response to NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s earlier remarks suggesting increased energy use in Taiwan, Wegner affirmed that AmCham members prioritize stability, predictability, and continued grid enhancement over any specific energy source. While progress has been made, he emphasized that long-term reliability remains a key focus for the business community.

When asked whether AmCham supports the restart of nuclear power in Taiwan, Wegner clarified that the chamber does not advocate for any particular energy type. Instead, he underscored that for manufacturers, a stable and diversified energy supply is paramount.

The white paper also identifies "Strategic Cooperation in Technology" as a priority. It recommends that U.S. and Taiwanese defense industries deepen innovation-driven collaboration in research and production, which would benefit both sides and strengthen U.S.-Taiwan security ties.

Wegner highlighted drones as a new frontier for bilateral cooperation, noting that the U.S. excels in design while Taiwan has unmatched capabilities in scalable manufacturing—making it a natural partnership.

AmCham Taiwan Chairman Chen You-Zhen welcomed Taiwan’s passage of the Artificial Intelligence Basic Act at the end of last year, which adopts a "principle-based, risk-managed" regulatory framework to avoid stifling innovation through overregulation.

Chen noted that with the foundational legal structure now in place, the government’s goal of developing AI usage guidelines for individual industries is a positive step. AmCham’s industry committees will continue to engage with authorities to shape these guidelines collaboratively.