TSMC6The inauguration ceremony for the establishment of the factory was held in Arizona, U.S.A.3Nano will also be2026mass-produced in the United States.Before Taiwan’s 9-in-1 election, there was constant media hype“Skepticism”、“de-stationary”, making rumors that Taiwan Semiconductor will be hollowed out.Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan7Posted on Facebook on the 1st to clarify the so-called hollowing out.
Questions such as “TSMC’s going to the United States to set up a factory may empty out Taiwan’s semiconductors” have spread from before the Nine-in-One election to after the election. Taiwan Vision magazine reported that TSMC President Wei Zhejia was invited to Yangming Jiaotong University EMBA “Lancheng Lecture” a few days ago to speak bluntly: “There is no door!” Regarding the outside world‘s worries, Taiwan Semiconductor will follow in the footsteps of Japan, saying “Impossible! Taiwan has worked hard for more than 30 years. How could it be knocked down!”
The origin of skepticism
TSMC, a major semiconductor wafer manufacturer, has a global market share of nearly 60%, and is called the “Sacred Mountain of Protecting the Nation” by Taiwan. According to a survey conducted by the Taiwan Democracy Lab, as early as December 2021, there were discussions in Taiwan that “TSMC was blown up by the US”. Until the eve of this year’s election, Taiwanese online media, Chinese state media, Weibo big V, local media and legislators widely spread the belief that “TSMC will be hollowed out and moved to the United States, and the DPP will be its accomplice. “
Before the election, many scholars in Taiwan issued a statement of “condemning malicious information warfare and protecting Taiwan’s silicon shield”, criticizing the “going to Taiwan theory” for distorting the facts, and pointing directly at Wangwangzhong when they shouted “resist the United States and save Taiwan” and maliciously concocted “doubting the United States“. “America-hate theory” has reached the point of insanity.
One of the initiators of the statement, Professor Li Zhongxian from the Department of Electrical Engineering of Cheng Kung University, said in an interview with this station that the so-called “suspicion of beauty” and “de-Taiwanization” are false issues, and most of the current remarks are not blaming TSMC, but blaming Tsai. The English government “sold” it to the United States. Ten thousand steps back, TSMC is a multinational corporation in a democratic country. If the top decision-makers insist on leaving, what can the Taiwan government do?
“This is very useful as a fake news operation. First of all, the United States is portrayed as supporting Taiwan for its own interests, not for the core values of democracy, freedom and human rights. However, the United States‘ attitude towards Taiwan is not because of the presence of TSMC. Here, not TSMC.” Li Zhongxian said.
Li Zhongxian further pointed out that the current global semiconductor industry chain is “de-sinifying”, and China uses such remarks to ferment this issue. In fact, TSMC’s 5nm factory in the United States has a monthly production capacity of 20,000 pieces, accounting for about 1% of TSMC’s total production capacity (Taiwan’s total monthly chip production capacity is 2.19 million pieces), but it is operated as “the US factory accounts for than 50% and 80%.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs clarifies that advanced manufacturing processes will stay in Taiwan
In addition to attempts by the academic community to issue a statement to clarify, Taiwan’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Wang Meihua, also recorded a video to explain to the Taiwanese people before the 9-in-1 election that TSMC’s most advanced manufacturing process is still rooted in Taiwan. “TSMC’s 3nm process in Taiwan has started trial production in Tainan, and the 2nm factory has also been prepared in Hsinchu, and even the 1nm that will continue to break through. The government has announced the expansion of Taoyuan Longtan Science Park.”
After the opening ceremony of TSMC’s U.S. factory, Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs posted again, saying, “TSMC went to the U.S. to set up a factory, and semiconductors have not been de-Taiwanized.” There are 1% of engineers, and the talent has not flowed out”, “The 40-year supply chain is the most sound, and Taiwan is irreplaceable.”
“De-Taiwanization” of the supply chain is not feasible
“‘De-Taiwanization’ is a fake topic for laymen who don’t understand the upstream and downstream supply chain products of semiconductors.” Lin Xiumin, a part-time lecturer at Soochow Enterprise Management Department and columnist of Science and Technology News, said in an interview with this station.
Lin Xiumin explained that many countries have recently expressed concerns about the outbreak of war in the Taiwan Strait and the chip supply chain. However, the frequency of North Korea’s missile launches is much higher than that of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army over Taiwan, and Japan and South Korea should be the most disturbed.
“If it is only because of the possibility of war, it needs to find another supply chain, then it should be called ‘de-Asia (Asia)’ instead of ‘de-Taiwan’. Because Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are all threatened by missiles and military aircraft disruption. “
From the perspective of industrial division of labor, Lin Xiumin explained that taking the key components of the iPhone 14 as an example, the A14 processor is made by TSMC, the DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is highly dependent on South Korea, and the storage NAND Flash (flash memory) is made by Japan Armor. Manufactured by Kioxia, plus the OLED comes from a Samsung panel.
Lin Xiumin further analyzed that due to TSMC’s horizontal supply chain relationship, even if TSMC moved out of Taiwan, ASE, the world‘s largest packaging and testing company, would have to follow suit. In addition, carrier boards and other components are distributed in Taiwan and Japan. Lin Xiumin said that even if “de-Taiwanization” does not produce the chips that appear today, unless the whole of Asia is moved, the actual operation is impossible.
Lin Xiumin: “His top five highest output values and key components are all manufactured in Asia. Where should they be moved? Now that China, Russia, and North Korea pose such a big threat to the free world, no matter where they move, they will have to face it sooner or later. “
TSMC’s “de-Taiwanization” issue may affect the 2024 presidential election
The semiconductor industry is a high-threshold profession. With TSMC’s manufacturing process in Taiwan, it can maintain a gap of “N-1” (that is, the most advanced manufacturing process in overseas expansion will lag behind Taiwan’s by a generation), ensuring that Taiwan has more advanced manufacturing capacity. However, the slogan-style election language of “N-1” is difficult to understand.
Lin Xiumin reminded that if the explanation cannot be properly clarified, it may also affect the 2024 presidential election: “In addition to professional discourse, someone needs to condense the professional part into simple and common language to dissolve the disinformation campaign.”
Li Zhongxian also said that this is the reason why they were worried about issuing a statement before the nine-in-one election.
Reporter: Huang Chunmei Editors in charge: Xu Shuting, Chen Meihua, An Ke Web editor: Hong Wei