Taiwan’s top official Pan Men-an confirmed his visit this week to Alaska’s North Slope, the proposed site of the massive Alaska LNG project, a U.S.-backed energy initiative that has drawn strong interest from Asia. The visit follows growing energy cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. amid global supply chain uncertainties and geopolitical tensions.
Glenfarne Group, the project developer, recently revealed that over 50 companies have shown formal interest in contracts totaling $115 billion. The project, supported by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, aims to export up to 20 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually. It would stretch approximately 1,230 km (765 miles) from the North Slope to Anchorage, offering Asian markets direct access to American LNG without routing through the Panama Canal or the Horn of Africa—cutting shipping time and costs.
Pan, secretary-general to President Lai Ching-te, said in a Facebook post that he visited the region after attending an energy conference at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. He emphasized strengthening ties between democratic partners and boosting resilience amid climate and trade challenges, though he did not confirm any signed deals.
Taiwan’s CPC Corporation Chairman Fang Jeng-zen joined the trip. CPC previously signed a non-binding agreement in March to purchase LNG and potentially invest in the project. President Lai has called the partnership a strategic step to enhance Taiwan’s long-term energy security and reduce reliance on politically sensitive regions.
Taiwan, seeking to ease trade tensions with the U.S., has pledged to significantly increase American energy imports, including LNG. The Alaska LNG project could become a key pillar in that effort, aligning economic and strategic interests between the two democracies.