President Tsai Ing-wen said Sept. 6 that the government is committed to developing Taiwan’s semiconductor sector so as to ensure the country remains one of the top investment destinations for international high-tech companies.
Public and private sector collaboration over the past year has seen ramped-up foreign investment in the sector, Tsai said. This is evidenced by several top-line equipment and material suppliers showing keen interest recently in raising their stakes, she added.
It is hoped this flurry of activity will keep Taiwan on the fast-track to cementing its standing as a global hub of hardware and software integration, Tsai said, adding that the government will provide all requisite assistance for local firms upgrading competitiveness and retaining leadership positions.
Tsai made the remarks while receiving a delegation of representatives from U.S.-based Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International and Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association, as well as executives of industry heavyweights from home and abroad at the Office of the President in Taipei City.
The delegates—including SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha—are in Taiwan for the IC60 Master Forum, an event on the sidelines of the annual Semicon Taiwan running Sept. 5-7 in Taipei.
Tsai also took the opportunity to exchange views with the delegates on key issues such as foreign talent recruitment, high-tech professional cultivation, think tank development and opportunities for Taiwan stemming from the U.S.-China trade war.
The production value of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry stood at NT$2.46 trillion (US$80.09 million) in 2017, trailing only the U.S. and South Korea in that order, according to statistics compiled by the Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center under state-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute based in Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan. (SFC-E)
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