SAN FRANCISCO (TVBS News) — Morris Chang, founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), met with White House economic advisor Lael Brainard on Thursday (Nov. 16), ahead of the day's APEC meeting.
The discussion centered on strengthening economic ties between Taiwan and the U.S.
Taiwan's APEC delegation revealed that Chang expressed a desire for closer bilateral relations with the U.S. The meeting, which lasted 30 minutes, took place before Chang proceeded to the APEC summit conference.
On the previous day, Chang, who is 92, also met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at an APEC reception. This meeting unfolded amid heightened tensions following U.S. President Joe Biden's recent remarks in which he labeled Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator.
The tension was apparent as Biden and Xi Jinping avoided close contact during the summit's group photo session.
Despite the strained atmosphere, Chang utilized the intervals between conferences to engage with delegates from Singapore and Thailand, further expanding Taiwan's diplomatic connections with other APEC members.