Advertisement
Semiconductors
TechTech War

Tech war: Pelosi meets TSMC chief in Taiwan as US ramps up chip pressure on China

  • US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met TSMC chairman Mark Liu during her Taiwan tour, according to local news agency CNA
  • They discussed the Chips and Science Act, which is widely seen as Washington’s plan to weaken China’s role in global semiconductor supply chains

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
12
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi waves to journalists during her arrival at the Parliament in Taipei on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Che Pan

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday spoke with the chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s leading contract chip maker, during her visit to the island, to discuss an American legislative proposal, according to a report from Taiwanese news agency CNA.

Advertisement
The discussions between Pelosi and Mark Liu touched on the Chips and Science Act, which was approved by the US House of Representatives and Senate last week, Ker Chein-ming, chief commissioner of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan’s parliament, was quoted as saying.

The new US legislation is widely seen as Washington’s plan to weaken China’s role in global semiconductor supply chains.

04:57

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrives in Taiwan as Beijing announces live-fire military drills

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrives in Taiwan as Beijing announces live-fire military drills
Pelosi’s appointment with TSMC executives did not appear on her official itinerary, which was packed with high-profile meetings with Taiwan officials, including President Tsai Ing-wen, legislature deputy speaker Tsai Chi-chang and Vice-President William Lai, among others.

TSMC declined to comment on the meeting, which was also reported by The Washington Post.

Pelosi’s decision to carve out time for a meeting with TSMC during her whirlwind tour shows the strategic importance of Taiwan – which Beijing claims as China’s territory – in providing advanced semiconductors that are crucial to both China and the US.

Advertisement
TSMC is currently building a 5-nanometre semiconductor factory in the US state of Arizona, which is set to be operational in 2024, although it is expected to produce chips that lag behind the ones it will be making in Taiwan at the time.

Pelosi’s high-profile visit comes as Washington has raised its efforts to curb the development of China’s chip industry, which has grown by relying on imported technologies.

Advertisement