Trump Again Mentions Taiwan, Claims 40% to 60% of Chip Manufacturing Will Be in the U.S. Before He Leaves Office

(CNA Washington, July 3 - Reporter Hou Zi-ying) Since returning to the White House, U.S. President Trump has continuously implemented tariff measures to encourage manufacturing to return. In a U.S. media interview broadcast today, he again claimed that Taiwan took 100% of the chip industry, but under tariff measures, chip manufacturers are relocating from Taiwan to the U.S., and it is expected that 40% to 60% of chip manufacturing will be located in the U.S. before his term ends.

Trump (Donald Trump) was interviewed by U.S. financial media CNBC, and the interview content was broadcast today. In the interview, he mentioned again that "the world's largest companies" are building new wafer fabs in Arizona, and they are "leaving Taiwan" to set up factories in the U.S.

Trump was referring to TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer.

He also claimed that in the past, no U.S. president "imposed tariffs," so Taiwan took "100% of the (chip) industry," and South Korea also had some, but it was mainly Taiwan. However, under Trump's tariff measures, "they are all moving back" to the U.S.

Trump estimated that before his term ends, "we will have 40%, 50% to 60% of the chips."

Media reported that Trump also said yesterday that Taiwan is doubling the scale of the wafer fab under construction in Arizona. These new wafer fabs will be operational within the next year, and chip manufacturers from Taiwan, such as industry leader TSMC, are increasing their investment in the U.S.

Following the original plan to build three wafer fabs in Arizona, TSMC announced in March last year that it would invest at least an additional $100 billion (approximately NT$3.195 trillion) in the U.S. for the construction of three wafer fabs, two advanced packaging plants, and one R&D center, bringing TSMC's total investment in the U.S. to $165 billion.

The Investment Review Board of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs held a meeting on July 2 and approved TSMC's capital increase of $20 billion to TSMC Arizona, with the funds to be used for the construction of a 12-inch wafer fab and an advanced packaging plant.

Regarding concerns about whether the U.S. expansion will impact TSMC's status as the "guardian mountain" of Taiwan, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin pointed out that TSMC has currently announced 16 wafer fabs under construction and planned in Taiwan, plus CoWoS advanced packaging capacity. "No matter how much the U.S. builds in the future, it will not be this number." (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150703

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates

This website's text, images, and videos may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.