American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene emphasized the strategic importance of TSMC's newly announced $100 billion investment in US semiconductor manufacturing, calling it a demonstration of the "deep connections between two of the world's greatest technological and economic powerhouses."
During a White House announcement ceremony where TSMC Chief Executive CC Wei joined President Donald Trump, Greene highlighted how the relationship between Washington and the island represents a model of mutually beneficial economic partnership.
He noted that the two entities in Washington and Taipei were "mutually complementary economies that benefit greatly from investments in both directions, especially in the semiconductor sector."
China, which sees reunification with the island of Taiwan as a paramount goal, considers the government in Taipei to be illegitimate and views the island as a renegade province.
The AIT director noted the historic scale of cross-strait semiconductor investments, pointing out that "the largest investment project in US history is by a Taiwan semiconductor firm, while the largest foreign investor in Taiwan is a leading American semiconductor company."
According to Wall Street Journal, TSMC's expansion will fund construction of three new chip manufacturing plants, two chip-packaging facilities, and a research and development center in Arizona. This additional $100 billion investment builds upon TSMC's initial $12 billion commitment from 2020, bringing the company's total US manufacturing investment to approximately $165 billion.
Greene emphasized that the expanded TSMC investment "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."
President Trump, who appeared alongside Wei for the announcement, described the expansion as crucial for both economic and national security interests, suggesting that his tariff policies played a role in TSMC's decision to manufacture within the United States rather than importing chips from Taiwan.
