Taipei, Nov. 16 (CNA) Netherlands-based ASML Holding N.V., a leading global supplier of chipmaking machinery, on Wednesday announced plans for a factory in New Taipei to support international customers and the development of the semiconductor industry.
ASML's announcement comes after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) praised the Dutch company's commitment to continuously investing in Taiwan at a meeting with its Chief Operations Officer Frederic Schneider-Maunoury on Tuesday.
ASML continues to invest globally and in Taiwan to prepare for the company's continued growth and to support global customers and the development of the semiconductor industry, the company said via an email reply to local media.
According to Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津), who was present at Tuesday's meeting, ASML should begin construction on the New Taipei project in July 2023.
ASML is the world's sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) photolithography machines used by semiconductor manufacturers to produce cutting-edge chips.
The Dutch firm has become one of the foremost wafer-foundry equipment suppliers to Taiwanese manufacturers, including TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker.
At Tuesday's meeting, Tsai told Schneider-Maunoury that investing in Taiwan was "a very correct direction" and that the government will continue to provide support, according to a press release issued by the Presidential Office.
According to the release, ASML has five factories in Taiwan employing over 4,500 people, and plans to increase its investments in the country.
ASML's new project next year will be its biggest investment in Taiwan yet, and the continued cooperation between the company and Taiwan will enhance each other's semiconductor capabilities, Tsai said in a social media post later Tuesday.
Tsai said she was grateful that ASML had taken concrete actions to invest at a time when the world is focusing on Taiwan. "I believe this would dispel the over-hyped risk of investing in Taiwan."
According to ASML's website, the company's teams are based in Hsinchu, Linkou of New Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan, with its first office dating back to 2003.
