Amid the surge in artificial intelligence (AI), Taiwanese companies are planning to invest an additional $20 billion in the United States.
According to Reuters, Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs, Wang Mei-hua, announced this at the opening ceremony of the U.S. pavilion at the Semicon Taiwan 2026 semiconductor exhibition held in Taipei on September 2.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs identified the investment plans of Taiwanese companies, excluding the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, TSMC, after attending the SelectUSA investment promotion event in Maryland in May. Wang reported that the total additional investment amounts to $20 billion.
This investment is seen as a response to the increasing demand for AI and semiconductors, prompting Taiwanese companies to expand their production and operations in the U.S. However, specific details regarding the companies and projects involved have not been disclosed.
Recently, the U.S. has pressured Taiwanese firms to increase their investments in the country to boost domestic semiconductor production. Bill Frauenhofer, director of the Semiconductor Innovation and Investment Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce, stated that Taiwanese investments would strengthen the U.S.'s core technological capabilities.
Taiwan's semiconductor industry is also expected to experience significant growth this year due to the AI boom. Wu Zhi, secretary-general of the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA), projected that the revenue of Taiwan's semiconductor industry would approach $300 billion, marking an increase of over 40% from the previous year.
However, challenges such as energy supply, talent acquisition, and cybersecurity remain significant issues. Wu emphasized that no single country can dominate the semiconductor supply chain, highlighting the need for close international cooperation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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