Economics, NDC ministers reject claims that semiconductor sector is leaving Taiwan

2022-12-07

Economics minister Wang Mei-hua addressed concerns that TSMC’s growing investments in Arizona were a sign that the semiconductor industry as a whole is gearing to move away from Taiwan. Wang explained that companies in the sector were reserving Taiwan for their most advanced processes, which continue to expand. Meanwhile, National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin stressed that TSMC’s operations in the U.S. account for less than 3% of the firm’s production capacity. Let’s hear from the two officials.

Kung Ming-hsin
National Development Council
There are just some people in Taiwan who keep giving wrong takes on the matter, saying that they are leaving Taiwan. Be it just one fab, or two fabs, they account for less than 3% or 4% of all of TSMC’s output capacity. So TSMC is decidedly not leaving Taiwan.

Wang Mei-hua
Economics minister
They are already setting aside land for 2-nanometer chips, in Baoshan, and in Taichung. They are also making plans for a third expansion in Longtan for 1-nanometer chips. For TSMC, tech and patents are the most important things to protect. So TSMC’s trade secrets are what we should be most proud of.

The officials rejected claims that the semiconductor sector is shifting away from Taiwan. They said TSMC’s advanced 3-nanomenter and 1-nanometer processes will stay in Taiwan. They also add that the firm’s operations in the U.S. are only a fraction of the firm’s total production capacity.

台積電赴美設廠「去台化」國發會龔明鑫駁斥

2022-12-07

台積電赴美設廠、追加投資預算到4百億美元，讓半導體"去台化"聲浪再次掀起波瀾。今天經濟部長王美花受訪解釋，留在台灣的先進製程正在積極布局，而人在美國的國發會主委龔明鑫更澄清，美廠晶圓代工產能佔台積電產能根本不到3%，沒有所謂去台化的問題。

[[國發會主委龔明鑫]]
“在我們國內有些人把這樣的事情一直在說錯誤的想法，說這個是去台化，不管是一個廠，還是兩個廠，佔台積電產能比例上來講，恐怕連3%、4%都不到，所以沒有所謂台積電去台化的問題”

[[經濟部長王美花]]
“兩奈米也在積極整地，包括寶山、包括未來的台中等等，甚至我們也為一奈米積極來推動龍潭三期的規劃。對台積電來講技術、專利是它最重要的保護所以台積電對營業秘密的保護，在全球是最值得驕傲的事情”

極力駁斥去台化說，是因為台積電其中最賺錢的三奈米到一奈米世代產能通通留在台灣。美國廠的產能占比不高，最重要的技術還是根留台灣，對台積電來說，美國廠只是力量的擴張。

TSMC to triple investment in Arizona chip plant to NT$1.2 trillion

Chipmaking giant TSMC has announced it will triple its investment in the U.S. state of Arizona to about NT$1.2 trillion. The announcement was made at a ceremony marking the receipt of the first batch of equipment at its Arizona fab, which is scheduled to start operations in 2024. The additional investment is set to build a second fab specializing in the more advanced 3-nanometer chips.

Right after landing, U.S. President Joe Biden headed straight to TSMC’s fab in Arizona.

Accompanied by TSMC Chair Mark Liu and CEO C. C. Wei, Biden inspected the company’s facilities. The main event was a ceremony to celebrate the plant’s receipt of its first batch of equipment.

Mark Liu
TSMC chair
This state-of-the-art facility behind us is a testimony that TSMC is also taking a giant step forward to help build a vibrant semiconductor ecosystem in the U.S.

After Liu gave the opening remarks, Biden took the floor.

Joe Biden
US president
TSMC had made a US$12 billion investment here in Phoenix to build the first fab to make semiconductors in the U.S. Now the equipment is ready to move in. Next year, commercial operations are going to begin.

Biden announced that TSMC was to invest US$40 million – or about NT$1.2 trillion – to build a second fab in Arizona.

Joe Biden
US president
TSMC will construct a second fab here in Phoenix to build chips, 3-nano chips. These are the most advanced semiconductor chips on the plant. Apple had to buy all the advanced chips from overseas. Now they are going to bring more of their supply chain home. It could be a game changer.

The venue was packed with big names. They included TSMC founder Morris Chang, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Joe Biden
US president
Tim Cook of Apple. Where are you, Tim? He buys a few of these old chips. And he’s a small customer here. I hope they are treating you well.

Tim Cook
Apple CEO
As many of you know, we work with TSMC to manufacture the chips that power our products all over the world, and we look forward to expanding this work in the years to come as TSMC forms new and deeper roots in America.

Lisa Su
Advanced Micro Devices CEO
Well, everybody needs semiconductors. I think semiconductors really power all of these devices and services. So we are proud to be focused on high-performance and adaptive computing.

Jensen Huang
Nvidia CEO
We, together as an industry, have to own the cost of manufacturing together. No one company can own all the cost. We all have to share the burden of advancing technology.

Back in 2020, TSMC first announced plans to build a fab in Arizona, which is currently under construction. The fab is expected to start producing 4-nanometer chips in 2024. More recently, the TSMC has announced plans to also start producing 3-nanometer chips in 2026.

2022-12-07

DPP chair by-election to be held on Jan. 15, registration to open Dec. 12

2022-12-07

2023 calendar features aerial images of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies

2022-12-07

85C Bakery Cafe draws long lines at new US location in Phoenix, Arizona

Taiwanese food is becoming popular around the world, and several chains have already set up shop in the U.S. Recently, 85C Bakery Cafe opened a branch in Phoenix, Arizona, where it sells a range of Taiwanese bread. The store drew long lines at its grand opening, and business is only expected to get better.

Yang Szu-min
FTV reporter
There’s a long line at this shop in Phoenix, Arizona. People are waiting more than 10 minutes to get inside, all so they can eat Taiwanese bread like this.

Here at this Taiwanese bakery cafe, there’s everything from cheese dogs and pork floss buns to traditional pineapple buns. The shop is filled with locals eager to try something new. It’s also attracted Taiwanese expats, who rushed to this Phoenix location for a taste of home.

Customer
Taiwanese bread is softer, more fragrant. And it’s not as greasy.

Customer
They have one in Los Angeles. That’s why I tried before.

Customer
We drove by and decided to try it because the line was so long.

Fresh baked goods are packed in a box. The cashiers quickly ring up sales, sending customers out with piles of bread. Already there are 36 staff on the roster, but that’s not enough to handle the crowd. The manager plans to add 20 employees to keep up with demand. With TSMC engineers relocating to Phoenix, the future of the store is looking bright.

Monica Chua
85C Bakery Cafe area manager
Those technicians from Taiwan, they miss the flavors of their homeland. Our sales are even better than expected. We never imagined there would be so many customers.

In addition to 85C Bakery Cafe, fellow Taiwanese brand Meet Fresh sells treats in the same plaza. Elsewhere in Phoenix, two Sharetea shops sell handshaken drinks, a hit with young Americans.

He builds a drink with a skillful air, pouring rich matcha over brown sugar pearls. It’s the favorite beverage of this young local.

Customer
Like all of our hangouts are based on, “Oh, you want to hang out and get boba?” I try to get as much as I can.

Staff
A lot of our younger generation in the States are really accepting of the other cultures and foods.

All around the world, people are falling in love with Taiwanese cuisine. Food businesses are planting their flags in the U.S., to take aim at a hungry market.

2022-12-07

Defense ministry to announce plans for extending military training duration by year’s end

Details on the government’s plan to extend the duration of Taiwan’s mandatory military training could be released before the end of the year. That’s according to defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, who on Wednesday answered lawmakers’ questions on the matter. The ministry is widely expected to lengthen the duration of training from the current four months to one year. It’s also planning on training more reservists under an updated refresher program that was launched earlier this year.

Defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng on Wednesday said he hoped an announcement will be made by the end of the year on extending the duration of compulsory military service.

Chiu Chen-yuan
TPP lawmaker
Regardless of whether the local elections were a factor in the timetable, what’s the current situation regarding the extension of conscription?

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
Extending the period of military service would have great repercussions. Right now there is already a preliminary plan. We’ll work on the matter at full throttle, to hopefully finalize it by year’s end.

Chiu added that a government reshuffle would not bring changes to the government’s plans. He added that next year, the ministry will widen the scope of its training program for reservists.

Back in March, the government had launched a reformed reservist training program. This year, the program had 15,000 participants, a number that’s expected to go up to 22,000 in 2023. There will still be 96,000 participants undergoing the old regiment, which lasts five or seven days.

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
After assessing the situation, we will increase the number of reservist teams and look at where we can source soldiers. That way we can increase capacity.

The 14-day training regime features 28 hours of shooting practice instead of 12. This year, 13.7% of participants passed the end-of-training exams, up from 5.9% last year. The pass rate for combat skills also went up, from 5.5% to 9.5%.

Lo Chih-cheng
DPP lawmaker
The new training program has been effective at raising our combat readiness. Why don’t we move to make it so that all reservists go through the new regime instead?

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
Most of the instructors are new troops, and they also need to train new recruits. There’s insufficient training capacity.

Determined to boost Taiwan’s defenses, the Ministry of National Defense is working to strengthen its reservist forces to safeguard the country.

2022-12-07

Tourism Bureau launches voucher programs for international tourists

2022-12-07

Taiwanese couple designs and hand makes beautiful phone and camera accesories

Today we meet a Taiwanese couple who make colorful straps that can be attached to cameras and smart phones. The couple loves travel and photography, but several years ago they noticed that there weren’t many straps in the market to choose from. In 2008, they decided to design their own. Since then, they have branched out to make phone straps, pet collars, and more. FTV reporter Stephany Yang met the couple to find out more.

This is Sofia Huang and Maxie Lee, a couple who love travel and photography. In 2008, they searched for straps to attach to their cameras, but couldn’t find many on the market that caught their eye. So, they started to make their own. These camera straps come in different designs and colors. All the materials are from Taiwan and are suited for use in Taiwan’s climate.

Maxie Lee
Co-founder
In the beginning, it was because we really liked taking pictures, but we felt there were no appealing accessories. So we used concepts related to clothing design to make camera-related accessories. Speaking of Taiwanese characteristics, our aim when we design is not just to be only a graphics application. We all know that Taiwan is a manufacturing country. When our next generation of crafters is designing products, they have to think about how to make suitable items. We spent a lot of time studying combinations of materials and working out how to improve the straps’ usability.

Sofia Huang
Co-founder
In the process of designing, we hope to convey the warmth put into making a handmade product. When we choose the fabric, we will choose something more distinctive and suitable to the climate of Taiwan. For example, we choose vegan leather, which is suitable for Taiwan’s climate. That is, it won’t cause mold or cleaning problems. It is also relatively comfortable to use.

Before making camera straps, Sofia was a project planner, and Maxie, was a product designer. They said creating these straps was very laborious and required lots of hard work, but due to their passion for travel, they persevered, and continued with their innovative ideas and the creation of new products. In 2013, they decided to branch out and make straps that can be attached to phones. All of their products are handmade.

Maxie Lee
Co-founder
After customers came, we found that over the past few years, demand for cameras changed to demand for mobile phones, so we gradually extended our designs to different product lines. Now we have some mobile phone accessories. We know people are highly dependent on mobile phones in Taiwan. Compared to mass-produced items made by machines, we have to spend a lot more time making our products. We want each piece or leather item to be in different colors, so the time invested is longer than ordinary mass-produced products.

Sofia Huang
Co-founder
We really do it all by hand. We need to be clear about our goals and direction. When we adhere to the branding route, the quality, production, and even style and demands we place on ourselves have to be at an even higher level.

The two are also cat lovers. In 2022, they began designing collars for cats in hopes of creating comfortable and eye-catching collars for their furry friends.

Sofia Huang
Co-founder
We have cats in our family, and we couldn’t find good-looking collars that we liked for them. That’s why we created them ourselves. We used mountain climbing ropes to make it cooler for a cat to wear. Then, they’re more cat-friendly and easier to use. It is different from the traditional cat leads with the buckles.

Maxie Lee
Co-founder
Consumers in Taiwan are very friendly, and they are also very willing to try new things. They just want products with different styles or qualities. So we have started to shape a brand with a different personality in the past two to three years

The designers say they get their inspiration from their daily lives and travel. They hope to continue to make colorful and beautiful designs to help people travel both safely and fashionably.

2022-12-07

Giant Chinese chess board is a lighthearted mural for Zhongliao

2022-12-07

Preorders for Year of the Rabbit commemorative coin set to open online on Dec. 12

2022-12-07

Economics, NDC ministers reject claims that semiconductor sector is leaving Taiwan