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Lai Pitches for Stronger Global Chip Supply Chain at Semicon Taiwan

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By TaiwanPlus

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Officials and technology leaders are gathering in Taipei for Semicon Taiwan, where President Lai Ching-te says Taiwan is building a network of trusted partners to help stabilize the global semiconductor supply chain. Speaking at the Semicon Network Summit, Lai said countries can support one another, diversify risks and build more resilient supply chains in the face of natural disasters, pandemics and geopolitical changes. Taiwan’s chipmakers are investing heavily overseas, with TSMC opening new fabs in the United States, Japan and Germany. European and US officials say the diversification is about cooperation and resilience, rather than protecting their markets. 

Semiconductor Partnerships

REPORTER:  
President Lai Ching-te says Taiwan is helping stabilize the global semiconductor supply chain by building a network of trusted partners.

Lai Ching-te (TAIWAN PRESIDENT):  
In the face of natural disasters, pandemics or geopolitical changes we can support one another, diversify risks and build together more resilient supply chains so that countries and companies can maintain stable production.

Lai was speaking at the Semicon Network Summit in Taipei.

Taiwan's chipmakers have been heavily investing in manufacturing abroad, with TSMC opening new fabs in the US, Japan and Germany.

US and EU officials say this diversification is about cooperation and resilience – not about protecting their markets.

Kilian Gross (ENABLING AND EMERGING TECH. DIRECTOR, EUROPEAN COMMISSION):  
The idea is to have a twofold strategy to strengthen our domestic supply, to strengthen our domestic ecosystem, and at the same time, to strengthen the cooperation with those countries which we share our values and we share our our objectives.

Officials and tech leaders from around the world are gathering in Taipei for Semicon Taiwan, which starts on Wednesday.

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Semiconductor Supply Chains

REPORTER:  
Taiwan's president says it is helping other countries stabilize and protect their semiconductor supplies by building a worldwide network of trusted partners.

Lai Ching-te (TAIWAN PRESIDENT):  
In the face of natural disasters, pandemics or geopolitical changes, we can also support one another and diversify risks, jointly building more resilient supply chains so that countries and companies can maintain stable production, continue investing and create shared prosperity.

Taiwan's TSMC is investing 265 billion dollars in US chip manufacturing and is building a new fab in Germany. US and EU officials said Taiwanese efforts to build up Europe and America's chip manufacturing industries are about cooperation and resilience – not about protecting their markets. They spoke at the Semicon Network Summit in Taipei, where they discussed how Taiwan and trusted partners are building a global network to make the supply chain less vulnerable.

Jacob Helberg (US UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE):  
For decades, Taiwan has been at the center of this industry. Now Taiwan is investing in the United States, joining us and building up our manufacturing base. Because the world has learned sometimes the hard way, that concentration without resilience is a vulnerability.

Kilian Gross (EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES DIRECTOR, EUROPEAN COMMISSION):  
The idea is to have a twofold strategy to strengthen our domestic supply, to strengthen our domestic ecosystem, and at the same time, to strengthen the cooperation with those countries which we share our values and we share our our objectives.

The officials are in Taipei for Semicon Taiwan, which starts on Wednesday.

Taiwan's semiconductor capabilities are creating new industrial connections around the world. These connections allow countries to play to their strengths and cooperate closely in research, development and production.