President Donald Trump has revealed that he warned TSMC that“If we don’t build a plant in the US, we will be taxed 100 per cent”.
According to a report by Taiwan’s United News Network on April 9, on the 8th, local time, Donald Trump Republican Party the National Committee of the House of Representatives, it accused former President Biden of subsidising TSMC’s $6.6 bn plant in Phoenix, Arizona, saying“The semiconductor company doesn’t need the money”. He added: “TSMC, I didn’t give them any money. . . I’m just saying if you don’t build here, you’re going to have to pay a lot of taxes.”.
According to a British Reuters report on the 8th, sources revealed that the United States Department of Commerce is investigating the relationship between TSMC and a certain company, the company ordered TSMC chips that matched those found in the artificial intelligence processors of Chinese companies. TSMC could face fines of $1bn or more. TSMC said it“Does not comment on relevant rumours”. Taiwan’s“Economy Minister” Guo Zhihui 9, said, “This is not the existence of the problem, the Ministry of Economy has not received relevant information.
The United States Department of Commerce has yet to take public action against TSMC, but United States Department of Commerce usually send“Proposal letters” to companies suspected of“Violations”, the economic daily said yesterday. The newspaper also noted that news of the punishment for TSMC“Comes at a critical time in -taiwan relations” and that Donald Trump’s new tariffs do not yet cover Semiconductor industry, but have said they are considering levies on semiconductors as well, “In addition to the recent U. S. government-led cooperation between TSMC and Intel, a lot of uncertainty remains to be assessed.”. Taiwan’s“Industrial and commercial times” 9, said that although the current tariffs do not cover chips, but has seriously affected TSMC customers supply chain layout.
Taiwan stocks continued their slide Monday, closing down 1068.19 points, or 5.79% . TSMC closed down 31 yuan, or 3.8% , at NT $785.
Taiwan’s“China Times” on the 9th recalled that in the early 1980s, the semiconductor industry was dominated by Japan. In order to suppress Japan, the US first forced Japan to sign the“Us-japan semiconductor agreement” in 1986, then came the punitive 100 per cent tariff on Japanese chip exports, aimed at regaining technological dominance. Now, although TSMC has pledged to increase its investment in the US, the Donald Trump administration clearly thinks that is not enough and is discussing how to move all semiconductor manufacturing from the island to the US.
According to an editorial in the China Times electronic newspaper, the DPP authorities have proved to regard the increased investment in TSMC as a gift for losing faith in the US, but Donald Trump still sees the island as a“Thief stealing the US’s global chip leadership”. The article said that the next semiconductors and chips may be included in the scope of U.S. taxation, which will be a long and difficult road for Taiwanese companies. If the authorities do not abandon the“Political leadership” mentality, the survival space of Taiwanese businessmen will be more limited.