TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd has announced that it will not proceed with the construction of an advanced chip factory in a rural area of northern Taiwan. This decision comes after the local residents opposed the expansion of an industrial park, expressing their unwillingness to relocate.
The company has stated that it will collaborate with the government-run Science Park Administration to evaluate available land in Taiwan suitable for constructing semiconductor fabs. However, no specific alternative sites were mentioned.
Last December, a report by the Central News Agency quoted an official from the Science Park Administration, stating that TSMC had plans to build a 1-nanometre chip factory in Longtan.
It is important to note that TSMC’s most advanced technology currently in mass production is its 3-nanometre technology.
The Taiwanese Economy Minister, Wang Mei-hua, has assured that the government will assist TSMC with their land, water, and power requirements. Semiconductors are considered one of the island’s most crucial industries.
Mayor Chen Chi-mai of Kaohsiung, where TSMC is presently constructing a 2-nanometre chip factory, has stated that the city has sufficient water, power, and land to accommodate more semiconductor factories. He asserted that opportunities await those who are adequately prepared.
Reported by Sarah Wu, additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee, and edited by Edwina Gibbs.
