Arizona Governor To Focus On Semiconductors In Taiwan Visit

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday for a visit focused on semiconductors, the critical chips that are used in everyday electronics and have become a battleground in the engineering science competition betwixt the U.S. and China.

His visit is the latest in a contempo cord by U.S. politicians that have angered Red china, which claims the cocky-governing isle off its coast every bit part of its territory and says the visits encourage Taiwan independence forces.

Ducey is on a mission to woo suppliers for the new $12 billion Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC) plant being built in his country. He is traveling with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and the caput of the state’s economic development bureau.

He will come across with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, business leaders and university representatives in the semiconductor industry, Taiwan’southward Ministry of Strange Diplomacy said in a statement.

The governor’south office said he will travel to Due south Korea and meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and business leaders later this week.

“The goal of this trade mission is to take these relationships to the side by side level – to strengthen them, expand them and ensure they remain mutually benign.”

American states are competing to concenter a multibillion-dollar wave of investment in chip factories as the U.S. regime steps up spending on expanding the U.Due south. semiconductor industry with a recently passed police. Last week, the Indiana governor visited Taiwan for a like purpose.

Taiwan produces more than half the global supply of high-end processor fries.

U.S. officials worry that the United States relies as well heavily on Taiwan and other Asian suppliers for processor chips used in smartphones, medical devices, cars and virtually other electronic devices.

Those worries accept been aggravated by tensions with China over technology and security. The potential for disruption was highlighted by scrap shortages due to the coronavirus pandemic that sent shockwaves through the automobile and electronics industries.

Beijing fired missiles into the sea near the island starting on Aug. 4 after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited, disrupting shipping and air traffic, and highlighting the possibility that bit exports might exist interrupted.

A law canonical by Congress on July 29 promises more than than $52 billion in grants and other aid to develop the U.S. semiconductor industry and a 25% tax credit for investors in bit factories in the United states of america.

State governments are now promising tax breaks and grants to lure fleck factories they hope will become centers for high-tech industry.

Intel Corp., the just major U.S. producer, announced plans in March 2021 to build two flake factories in Arizona at a cost of $20 billion. The company has had another facility in Arizona since 1980.

In January, Intel appear plans to invest $20 billion in a chip manufactory in Ohio.

TSMC, headquartered in Taiwan and which makes chips for Apple Inc. and other customers, announced plans last twelvemonth to invest $3.5 billion in its second U.S. manufacturing site on the northern outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona.

The visitor recently completed structure of the main buildings at the $12 billion north Phoenix facility and can at present outset moving in manufacturing equipment, with product expected to start by 2024, according to Ducey’s role. TSMC’s decision to build the facility has led other Taiwan-based suppliers to expand in Arizona, with investments totaling $one billion already announced.

Ducey’southward five-day trip to Taiwan and South Korea comes as the Republican governor prepares to exit part considering of term limits in January. 1 of the former businessman’s major focuses in his viii years in office has been on boosting Arizona’s economy past adding to its manufacturing base of operations. New electric vehicle companies have begun production, adding to its existing semiconductor firms.

South Korea’s LG Energy Solutions announced in April that information technology planned to invest $1.four billion to build an electric vehicle bombardment manufacturing facility on country it purchased in the Phoenix suburb of Queen Creek. The company later said it would reassess its plans because of irresolute global economic conditions. Arizona evolution officials keep to piece of work with LG.

U.Southward. semiconductor manufacturing has long been established in Arizona, and the country has more than 200 production facilities in addition to Intel and the new TSMC found.

TSMC’s first U.South. semiconductor wafer fabrication facility is in Camas, Washington. Information technology as well operates design centers in San Jose, California, and Austin, Texas.

Southward Korea’southward Samsung Electronics says it will break footing in 2024 for a $17 billion chip factory well-nigh Austin, Texas. The state says it is the biggest single investment to date in Texas.

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McDonald reported from Beijing, China. Associated Printing Reporter Bob Christie contributed from Phoenix.