President Donald Trump announced on October 13 that Taiwan has agreed to purchase 30% of the natural gas produced from the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline project over the next 20 years. This announcement comes as he seeks to highlight the achievements of the Alaska LNG project ahead of next month's midterm elections.
During a campaign rally in Alaska, Trump stated that Taiwan will invest an additional $4.4 billion in the project to ensure its completion. He emphasized that this commitment "guarantees" the project's success.
The Alaska LNG project involves transporting natural gas produced in the North Slope of Alaska through an approximately 800-mile (1,300 km) pipeline to Nikiski in the south, where it will be liquefied for export.
Last March, Taiwan's state-owned energy company, CPC Corporation, signed a preliminary agreement with the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) to invest in the development and purchase of LNG. At that time, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen stated that this investment would secure Taiwan's energy security.
Bloomberg reported that Taiwan has not yet provided an immediate confirmation regarding Trump's statement.
Questions remain about the commercial viability and actual construction feasibility of the Alaska LNG project.
Previously, on September 30, Trump announced at the White House that South Korea would invest over $50 billion in the Alaska LNG project. However, the South Korean government clarified that this investment would only proceed if commercial viability is established, leaving future discussions with the U.S. as an open matter.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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