TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A legislator from the opposition Taiwan People's Party (民眾黨) raised concerns on Thursday (Dec. 18) about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (台積電, TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, investment in the United States. Legislator Liu Shu-pin (劉書彬) questioned whether the government has mechanisms to ensure the retention of core R&D technologies within Taiwan.
The Education and Culture Committee of the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament, held a featured report on Thursday (Dec. 18) regarding strategies for Taiwan's space industry development, scientific research promotion, and talent cultivation following the successful launch of Formosat-8, Taiwan's Earth observation satellite. Legislators then conducted a question-and-answer session with government officials.
Deputy Minister Faa-Jeng Lin (林法正) of the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan's top science policy agency, assured the government reviews the list of national core technologies annually. Lin stated the government adopts the N-2 principle, ensuring only technologies two generations behind the current state of the art can be exported. Lin highlighted TSMC can only export 1.6-nanometer technology if it develops 1.2-nanometer or 1.4-nanometer technology in Taiwan.
Tsou Yu-hsin (鄒宇新), Deputy Director General of the Industrial Development Administration, a Ministry of Economic Affairs agency, emphasized TSMC's U.S. investment undergoes review by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Investment Review Committee. Tsou noted the review considers industrial impact and national security. Tsou added the semiconductor sector identifies processes below 14 nanometers as critical technologies, which require stringent control over equipment and materials. ◼