HSINCHU, Taiwan (Reuters) -TSMC reaffirmed its investment commitment to Taiwan on Friday as the world’s largest contract chip maker ramps up expansion abroad.
Speaking at a ceremony to open a massive global research and development center in Taiwan’s chip hub of Hsinchu, CEO C.C. Wei said he would like to take the opportunity to tell the people of Taiwan that the firm remained “rooted” on the island.
The company, which makes the bulk of its chips in Taiwan, has committed $40 billion to build a chip factory in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is also building one in Japan and considering a second one there. TSMC has also been in talks with authorities in Germany about building a plant there.
The overseas investment has sparked concerns in Taiwan, where semiconductor manufacturing is the backbone of the economy, about a “goodbye to Taiwan” trend among chip firms.
(Reporting by Sarah Wu; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Miral Fahmy)