Visiting United States Arizona Governor Doug Ducey on Wednesday encouraged more semiconductor suppliers from Taiwan to invest in the American state at an investment conference in Taipei.
Ducey, who arrived in Taipei on Tuesday for a three-day visit, said at the U.S. Business Day event that he welcomed more semiconductor companies from Taiwan to follow in the footsteps of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and invest in Arizona.
TSMC started constructing a computer chip factory worth US$12 billion in Arizona in 2021.
According to Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) Chairman James Huang (???), TSMC’s pledged investment in Arizona has motivated more than 100 Taiwanese suppliers to decide to invest or think about investing in the American state.
Ducey later told local media that Taiwanese semiconductor companies are planning to build as many as 20 factories with more than 66,000 square meters in floor space in Arizona.
He added that these investment plans will create numerous high-paying jobs in the state and attract more talent and resources.
Speaking about his visit, Ducey said he is scheduled to visit several executives from Taiwan’s semiconductor companies to explore potential opportunities for collaboration.
He went on to say that the Arizona state government is keen to provide assistance to those companies as they mull their investment plans in the U.S.
Arizona is home to several semiconductor companies, such as Intel Corporation, Ducey said, adding that this is due to the efforts of the state authorities to remove investment barriers, offer tax incentives, as well as train highly-skilled workers.
Meanwhile, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Sandra Oudkirk said at the investment conference that Taiwanese investment has created thousands of job opportunities in Arizona.
At the same time, semiconductor suppliers from Taiwan have contributed to the development of the semiconductor industry in the U.S. and played an important role in the promotion of bilateral trade between the U.S. and Taiwan, according to the director.
Oudkirk added that she looks forward to seeing more collaborations and dialogue between Taiwan and the U.S. in the future.
According to TAITRA, the one-day investment conference, which allowed companies from Taiwan and the U.S. to meet prospective business partners, was held in Taipei but also included online participation.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel