National Development Council (NDC) Minister Kung Ming-hsin (???) on Tuesday touted a government fund to nurture talent for the semiconductor manufacturing industry at the university level, which combined with cash donations from corporations currently amounts to NT$1.2 billion (US$38.83 million) a year.
Kung made the comment at a pre-show news conference for SEMICON Taiwan in Taipei, in reference to the collaborative program between the government and private sector to fund semiconductor-related graduate programs at National Tsing Hua University, National Taiwan University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and National Cheng Kung University.
The program was launched in May last year in accordance with the Act on National Key Fields Industry-University Cooperation and Skilled Personnel Training and is funded at the Cabinet level from the National Development Fund (NDF).
Under the program, when the institutions receive donations from the private sector, the NDF will provide matching financing.
Currently, the NDF has pledged NT$600 million in donations annually, though details on those donations are not made pubic. As a result, the program will have a total of NT$1.2 billion annually to train semiconductor professionals, Kung said.
Taiwan plays a pivotal role in the semiconductor industry, with a 63 percent market share of the global wafer foundry industry, 58 percent share in assembly and testing and a 22 percent share of integrated circuit (IC) design, he said.
While manufacturers will encounter some difficulty moving unsold inventory before the first quarter next year due to shrinking global demand, in the long term, “smart” city and transportation applications, as well as arms industry needs will result in a rebound in demand for semiconductors, he said.
Semiconductors are not only the backbone of Taiwan’s economy, but also have a crucial role in digital transformation and efforts by governments and businesses worldwide to achieve net-zero emissions, he said.
Taiwan, being one of the world’s biggest semiconductor manufacturers alongside South Korea, has a responsibility to meet global demand for semiconductors and must maintain the development of its semiconductor industry, Kung said.
Asked to comment on countries asking Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to set up plants overseas, Kung said that just as Taiwan asked Micron Technology to establish production lines here, calls for TSMC to establish plants overseas are not necessarily a bad thing, as the key is to create the most efficient supply chain, he said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel