‘We matter’: Manchester councillor highlights Taiwanese community’s contribution at Taiwan semiconductor film screening

MANCHESTER — More than 140 people gathered at the Friends’ Meeting House in Manchester on October 3 for a screening of *A Chip Odyssey*, a documentary chronicling Taiwan’s journey in building its semiconductor industry.

Organised by the Manchester Taiwanese Association (MTA), the event brought together members of the Taiwanese community and guests from British, Hong Kong, Japanese and Ukrainian backgrounds. Three local councillors from Manchester and Salford also attended and shared their perspectives on Taiwan and the Taiwanese community in the UK.

Cllr Ati Zafar of Manchester City Council said the film’s message that “failure is not an option” resonated with him. Noting that Taiwan and the UK are both island nations facing challenges related to land and resources, he said the Taiwanese community has an important place in Manchester.

“It’s important that the Taiwanese community is here in Manchester,” Zafar said. “I really appreciate you and I welcome more.” He also said the city would be happy to support Taiwanese immigrants as they settle in Manchester.

Cllr Hilaria Asumu of Salford City Council spoke about the importance of ensuring minority communities have a voice. “Because we matter,” she told the audience, adding that communities contribute to both the economy and the places where they live.

Cllr Sian Astley of Manchester City Council said the documentary’s strongest message for her was its “human side,” particularly the dedication and passion of the engineers who worked to build Taiwan’s semiconductor industry.

Christina Tsai, chair of the MTA, said the screening was an opportunity for the Taiwanese community to share Taiwan’s story with a wider audience.

“Living in the UK, our love for Taiwan has never faded with distance,” she said. “We will keep speaking up for Taiwan from here, so that more people can see its beauty and resilience.”

The programme also featured a presentation by University of Manchester researchers Ming-Wei Hsu and Pei-Yu Yuan, who explored the historical development of Manchester as a birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and compared its industrial transformation with the experiences of other countries.

Following the screening, director Chu-Chen Hsiao joined the audience by video link for a question-and-answer session. She said Taiwan’s semiconductor industry had not only connected the island to the global supply chain but had also helped make Taiwan more visible internationally.

Hsiao recalled that when she attended film festivals overseas in the 1990s and 2000s, people she met often confused Taiwan with Thailand. Today, she said, audiences increasingly recognise Taiwan through its semiconductor industry and TSMC.

She said the film’s central message goes beyond technology and the semiconductor industry. At screenings in the United States, audience members had told her that the phrase “failure is not an option” prompted them to reflect on innovation, responsibility and the future of their own countries.

For Hsiao, *A Chip Odyssey* is ultimately a story about the courage and determination of the Taiwanese people.

The screening brought together people from different backgrounds to learn more about Taiwan’s semiconductor journey and the determination behind it. The MTA said the event also highlighted the growing engagement between Taiwan’s overseas community and the wider Manchester community.