Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - Taiwan wants to make sure that its partners have a steady supply of semiconductors, or "democracy ch...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - Taiwan wants to make sure that its partners have a steady supply of semiconductors, or "democracy chips," President Tsai Ing-wen told the governor of the U.S. state of Indiana on Monday. She said that China's threats mean that democracies need to work together.
Governor Eric Holcomb is leading the third U.S. delegation to visit Taiwan this month. This comes after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a short trip there, which angered China because it sees Taiwan as its own territory.
Five U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Ed Markey, went to Taiwan a week after Pelosi did.
After Pelosi's trip, China held a lot of military drills near Taiwan. Beijing says that Taiwan is its territory, but Taiwan says that only the people of the island can decide the island's future.
"China has made military threats against Taiwan in and around the Taiwan Strait," Tsai told Holcomb during a meeting at her office in Taipei.
"Now is the time for democratic allies to stand together and work together more in all areas," she said in comments that were broadcast live on her social media pages.
China has not said anything about Holcomb's trip yet.
Holcomb is going to Taiwan to strengthen ties between his state and the island, which is home to the world's largest contact chip maker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd. During his trip, he will meet with representatives of Taiwan's semiconductor companies (TSMC).
Tsai said, "Economic security is a key part of both national and regional security." "Taiwan is ready and able to work more closely with democratic partners to set up supply chains for democracy chips that will last."
Holcomb talked about what his state was doing to help the tech industry. He mentioned that Taiwan's MediaTek Inc, which is the world's fourth largest chip designer by revenue, announced in June that it would open a new design center in Indiana in partnership with Purdue University.
He said, "We can't wait to work with them to design the future."
PAIN TO PROFITS
Holcomb later told reporters that Taiwan had some of the best people in high technology in the world.
"We're dealing with supply chain problems and trying to turn them into supply chain gains. I think we can get there faster and with less trouble if we all work together "he said.
Holcomb oversaw the signing of a cooperation agreement between Purdue and the Taiwanese electronics contract manufacturer Wistron Corp. Company chairman Simon Lin talked about opportunities to work together in areas like cybersecurity and smart factories.
Taiwan has been working hard to show the United States, which is its most important international ally, that it is a reliable friend. This is because a global shortage of chips is affecting the production of cars and consumer electronics.
Tsai said that Indiana could become a center for chip technology after a U.S. law to help the domestic semiconductor industry compete with Chinese and other foreign manufacturers was signed into law this month.
In the U.S. state of Arizona, TSMC is building a $12 billion plant.
