TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) moved Tuesday (Sept. 2) to dispel swirling speculation about secret diplomatic missions, firmly denying that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) carried any political messages during his recent visit. The world's largest contract chipmaker emphasized its transparent communication channels with the U.S. government while clarifying that Huang's Aug. 22 trip served purely ceremonial purposes. Huang met TSMC President C.C. Wei (魏哲家) and attended founder Morris Chang's (張忠謀) birthday celebration during the brief Taiwan visit.
Speculation had suggested Huang's visit aimed to convey President Trump's message urging TSMC to share profits with the U.S. government. TSMC categorically rejected this claim as completely inaccurate. Media reports indicated that both Huang and AMD CEO Lisa Su (蘇姿丰) agreed to remit 15% of AI chip revenues destined for China to the U.S. government, supposedly securing approval for selling controlled chips to China.
Reports suggested TSMC's ability to pass U.S. semiconductor tariffs onto customers without significant American contributions has sparked Washington's dissatisfaction. TSMC countered that Huang simply shared management philosophy with leadership at Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan's premier technology hub, while expressing gratitude for assistance in completing trial production of six new chips. Huang concluded his visit with dinner in Taipei alongside TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei and the management team before departing Taiwan via private jet. ◼