Taipei, March 4 (CNA) U.S. President Donald Trump and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) jointly announced on Monday (U.S. time) that the company will invest an additional US$100 billion over the next few years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the United States.
"Today Taiwan Semiconductor is announcing that they will be investing at least US$100 billion in new capital in the United States over the next short period of time to build state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing facilities, " Trump said during a White House appearance alongside TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家).
"The most powerful AI chips in the world will be made right here in America and it'll be a big percentage of the chips made by this company (TSMC)," Trump said.
Wei said the US$100 billion investment will fund the construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging plants and a research and development center.
Following the announcement, U.S. de facto ambassador to Taiwan Raymond Greene said Tuesday in Taipei the announcement made in the White House "showcases the deep connections between two of the world's greatest technological and economic powerhouses."
"The United States and Taiwan are mutually complementary economies that benefit greatly from investments in both directions, especially in the semiconductor sector," American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Greene was quoted as saying in a AIT Facebook post Tuesday.
Trump and Wei's announcement of expanded TSMC investment in America "strengthens the economic prosperity and security of both the United States and Taiwan and will enable TSMC to better serve its largest customers in America," Greene added.
AIT represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.
