Taiwan has secured assurances for its LNG supplies from a major, unnamed LNG-producing nation.
The assurances are intended to address potential impacts of regional conflicts on Middle East energy imports.
Taiwan has also received offers of assistance from other countries, including potential coordination for strategic petroleum reserves.
Atlas AI
Taiwan has received assurances on liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply from the energy minister of an unnamed “major” LNG-producing country, Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin said on Saturday in Taipei, as officials addressed the Iran war’s impact on Middle East energy imports.
Kung told reporters that Taiwan’s relationships with crude oil and natural gas suppliers mean the island can manage changes in shipment origins and can buy additional spot cargoes if needed. He said that about two weeks ago the energy minister of a “major energy-producing country” contacted him proactively and said they would fully support Taiwan’s natural gas needs, adding that Taiwan could communicate any demand.
Kung also described a separate offer from another unnamed country, saying it had pointed to strategic petroleum reserves being released by some countries and indicated it could help coordinate support if Taiwan required assistance. Kung said these approaches reflected international goodwill built through long-term trust, but he declined to identify the countries involved.
The comments come as Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer, manages energy security concerns linked to Middle East supply routes. Before the conflict, Taiwan had relied on Qatar for around a third of its LNG, and authorities have said alternate supplies have been secured for the months ahead from countries including Australia and the United States.
At the same news conference, Angela Lin, a spokesperson for state-owned refiner CPC, said crude oil inventories were being maintained at pre-conflict levels and that overall petrochemical feedstock supplies have remained stable. CPC Chairman Fang Jeng-zen said a new contract with the U.S. is intended to reduce dependence on the Middle East and will provide 1.2 million metric tons of LNG annually, with more expected in the future, including eventually from Alaska.
Fang added that Taiwan is not considering importing crude oil or LNG from Russia. Officials did not provide additional details on the unnamed countries offering support, nor did they specify how potential coordination around strategic petroleum reserves would be implemented.
