Taiwan's president supports Arizona chip investment model

Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te praised a major investment by a Taiwanese semiconductor company in Arizona. He called it the “best model” for Taiwan's efforts to create a computer chip supply that doesn’t depend on China. The company, TSMC, is investing $100 billion to build three chip foundries, an R&D center, and two packaging facilities in Arizona. This is in addition to a previous commitment of $65 billion for three more chip foundries, one of which is already operational. TSMC and Lai emphasized that this investment is driven by customer demand, not pressure from former President Donald Trump. During a meeting with Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Lai noted that Taiwan and Arizona are working to form a supply chain excluding Chinese suppliers. This is important due to China's military threats regarding Taiwan. TSMC assured that its U.S. projects will not affect its operations in Taiwan, where it employs 10,000 people focused on advanced chip technology. Taiwan produces over 90% of the world's advanced computer chips. Although the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as a country, it strongly supports the island and provides military aid. The TSMC project in Arizona is expected to create 40,000 construction jobs and many more tech jobs in the coming years. Governor Hobbs expressed excitement about Arizona becoming a hub for advanced manufacturing, which she believes will boost job creation and investment.