Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has denied that the country’s chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), invested $100 billion in three new facilities in Arizona due to pressure from the Trump administration. The investment decision was made based on customer demand, according to TSMC CEO C.C. Wei.
Wei stated that he had spoken with customers and found their current expansion plans were insufficient to meet growing demands. “Customer demand has been steadily increasing,” he said. “Our investment plans are based on customer needs, and we are very cautious.”
The move is seen as a response to the increased tensions between China and Taiwan, with Beijing viewing Taiwan as a renegade province. The US, however, recognizes Taiwan as a key ally and largest arms provider.
The decision has raised concerns that Taiwan would benefit little from the investment, but TSMC assures that its plans in the US will not impact its operations in Taiwan, where it currently employs 10,000 researchers and develops advanced chips.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-us-tsmc-chips-investment-71d3aeb2bc403a92ce8eccdd8c51c0c8