Deputy Foreign Minister François Chih-chung Wu said Taiwan is determined to keep cutting-edge technology in-country to safeguard its key role in the semiconductor sector.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Wu made the remarks in an interview with Allison Jackson of French news agency Agence France-Presse Dec. 10 in Taipei City.
Wu said that while companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company have gradually expanded their global reach by establishing chip foundries in Germany, Japan and the U.S., these foreign investments are still closely linked to Taiwan. Responding to questions about moving top-tier chip production overseas to mitigate the risk to the global supply chain in the event of Chinese aggression, Wu said that the real solution is to prevent conflict.
The deputy minister also said that it is challenging for other countries to duplicate Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem because its chip industry culture is unique. He further emphasized that although TSMC has stepped up its investment in the U.S., the most advanced production processes, as well as the research and development hub, will remain in Taiwan.
Wu said that the interests of the U.S. and Taiwan are aligned on many points including cross-strait peace, freedom of navigation and the semiconductor industry. (POC-E)
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