Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Thursday announced the kickoff of the development of the third-phase campus at the Longtan Science Park in Taoyuan.
Su made the announcement after being briefed on the issue on a tour to the science park — a part of the Hsinchu Science Park — accompanied by Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花), Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), and DPP Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬), who is representing the party in the race for Taoyuan mayor in the Nov. 26 local elections.
Amid speculation that Hsinchu-based Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) would launch a fab to produce advanced 1-nanometer chips in Taoyuan, Wang said her ministry would increase the water and power supplies for the third-phase campus to allow Taiwan’s semiconductor industry to maintain its global leadership role.
As an example, she noted that a natural gas receiving station and a power plant were being built nearby.
Touching on the recent “de-Taiwanization” concept, about whether semiconductor production should be spread out to different countries and not become so concentrated in Taiwan, Wang called it a “sheer fabrication.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Water Resources Agency under the ministry said it would take action to boost the supply of recycled water as part of its efforts to help meet the needs of companies that would be located on the third-phase campus.
The third-phase campus has become the center of public attention in recent days after the Commercial Times reported on Oct. 31 that TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, would build an advanced 1-nanometer chip factory there as the park’s first phase was almost full and the second phase would mainly be devoted to green spaces and parks.
But the company refused to confirm that any decision had been made, and said that it had not ruled out any possibilities and would continue to search for a site to produce advanced chips at home after taking many factors into consideration.
TSMC said it would announce the decision when it has been made, saying that it remained open to all possibilities for an ideal location in Taiwan.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel