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Trump said on Thursday that Taiwan had taken away the U.S. chip
business and said that he wanted it back in the country.
Taiwan’s TSMC is the world’s largest chipmaker and produces
chips for companies including Apple, Intel and Nvidia.
In a news briefing after holding a meeting of the National
Security Council at the presidential office, Lai said that he
was aware of Trump’s concerns. He described Taiwan’s
semiconductor industry as well as the global semiconductor
industry is part of an “ecosystem” in which countries specialize
in different areas.
“The global semiconductor industry is an ecosystem, and it’s a
division of work,” Lai said.
“In response to President Trump’s latest actions, Taiwan needs
to respond calmly, and communicate well with the industries,”
Lai said.
“We hope to create a win-win scenario, not just to ensure
benefit to the U.S. but also to ensure that Taiwan‘s industries
has room from growth.”
His comments came hours after Trump ordered reciprocal tariffs
on trade partners that tax U.S. imports, a move that could
threaten a global trade war.
The U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but is its
strongest backer and biggest arms provider. But bilateral
relations between the two are less certain amid Trump's
seemingly transactional approach to geopolitical relations.
Lai said his government would propose a “global semiconductor
democratic supply chain partnership initiative” and said he
would be willing to work with partners such as the U.S. to build
a more resilient and diversified semiconductor supply chain.
Lai said that Taiwan will maintain communication with the U.S.
to help the new government better understand that Taiwan is an
“indispensable partner in the United States’ process of
rebuilding its manufacturing industry and consolidating its
high-tech leadership.”
Over the past two years, more than 40% of Taiwan’s overseas
investments are U.S. bound, Lai said, exceeding that of
investments in China.
Lai also said Friday that he would propose a “special budget” to
increase defense spending to over 3% of Taiwan’s gross domestic
product.
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