Vice Minister Su Chen-kang (蘇振綱) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) emphasized in an interview on Thursday that Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem, built over the past 30-40 years, is invaluable and challenging to reproduce. His statement was in response to remarks made by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump regarding Taiwan's chip industry and the possibility of "defense dues".
Su says that maintaining the semiconductor industry's competitiveness is a government responsibility. He highlighted that Taiwan's advantage lies not just in a few companies but in the entire industry cluster's synergy, which requires collaboration with European, American, and Japanese supply chains to maximize its effectiveness.
In response to questions about government subsidies, Su highlighted that Taiwan’s science parks consistently offer a friendly environment for businesses. He emphasized that investment decisions are based on multiple factors, such as potential benefits and comparative advantages. For example, the Southern Taiwan Science Park has attracted over 30 Japanese firms due to supply chain relationships, access to skilled talent, and strong infrastructure. Su noted that the parks continue to grow with high industry demand and expressed confidence that world-leading companies would continue to invest in Taiwan due to the unique ecosystem established over decades.
Su also emphasized the importance of Taiwan’s crucial positions in global semiconductor ecosystems, AI, and future digital and net-zero transitions. He states that strengthening these key roles would significantly benefit Taiwan’s future development, despite geopolitical challenges that must be overcome through communication and cooperation.