Taiwan president says she looks forward to producing ‘democracy chips’ with U.S

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan seems to be ahead to producing “democracy chips” with america, President Tsai Ing-wen informed the visiting governor of the U.S. state of Arizona, Doug Ducey, on Thursday, the most recent in a string of senior officers from the county to go to.

Taiwan has been eager to point out america, its most necessary worldwide backer and arms provider regardless of the dearth of formal diplomatic ties, that it’s a dependable good friend as a world chip crunch impacts auto manufacturing and client electronics.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), a significant Apple Inc provider and the world’s largest contract chipmaker, is developing a $12 billion plant in Arizona.

“Within the face of authoritarian expansionism and the challenges of the post-pandemic period, Taiwan seeks to bolster cooperation with america within the semiconductor and different high-tech industries,” Tsai stated on the assembly within the presidential workplace in Taipei.

“This may assist construct safer and extra resilient provide chains. We stay up for collectively producing democracy chips to safeguard the pursuits of our democratic companions and create better prosperity.”

Ducey, a Republican, is the most recent in a succession of officers from america to go to together with U.S. Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi in early August, defying strain from China for such journeys to not happen.

He informed Tsai that their partnership with Taiwan was “the best” within the semiconductor business.

“TSMC’s legacy funding has elevated the potential for what’s attainable between Arizona and Taiwan,” Ducey stated.

“Arizona stands with Taiwan, and we stay up for constructing on the various alternatives forward.”

Arizona can also be the place Taiwanese F-16 pilots prepare, at Luke Air Pressure base, which Tsai additionally talked about.

“Taiwan and america will proceed to construct on our necessary alliance to safeguard peace and stability within the Indo Pacific,” she stated.

China claims Taiwan as its territory regardless of the sturdy objections of the democratically elected authorities in Taipei, which rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

China has been finishing up navy drills close to Taiwan since Pelosi’s go to to precise its anger at what it views as stepped up U.S. help for the island.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Modifying by Stephen Coates)