OT-2306
March 24, 2023
Remarks by AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk
At the Opening of Qualcomm Hsinchu Center
March 17, 2023
(As Prepared)
MOEA Director General Chiou , NSTC Director General Wang, NDC Director General Jan, Senior Vice President Chen, Vice President Liew, Vice President Roy, Ladies and Gentlemen, 早安 ！
I am delighted to be here at the inauguration of Qualcomm’s new Hsinchu building and to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary in Taiwan.
Qualcomm, like many other U.S. high-tech firms, appreciates Taiwan’s crucial role in global technology supply chains. Since the establishment of a Taiwan office in 2003, Qualcomm has been working closely with Taiwan’s semiconductor and information communication industries, promoting Taiwan’s digital transformation, and contributing to the world-class semiconductor ecosystem in Taiwan.
Today is not only a chance to celebrate Qualcomm’s collaboration with Taiwan industry but also a great opportunity to highlight the long-term and successful record of U.S. private sector investment in and collaboration with Taiwan. Truly, the story of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry over the past five decades is a story of complementary, two-way investment and collaboration.
From the first technology transfers of technology from RCA to ITRI in the late 1970s, to the rich and continuing history of students studying in the United States and returning to Taiwan to start world-class enterprises, we can confidently say that the development of the U.S. and Taiwan semiconductor industries ecosystems is a veritable 良性循環 or virtuous cycle. The United States and Taiwan are the globe’s most natural partners in the semiconductor supply chain – U.S. firms make-up 68 percent of the fabless market, while Taiwan is home to more than half of the global foundry business.
We are delighted that several Taiwanese firms have announced major new investments in the United States, but need to underscore something sometimes overlooked in the media — investment flows both ways. The largest foreign investor in Taiwan is a U.S. memory chip manufacturer. U.S. and other international companies continue to view Taiwan as an excellent investment opportunity. Just last month, two U.S. equipment and electronic design automation companies announced plans for expanded investment in leading-edge research and development in Taiwan. In addition to semiconductors, other major U.S. technology companies also have high-value R&D investments in Taiwan ranging from hardware prototyping to innovative uses of artificial intelligence.
As our economies continue to grow closer together our economic and commercial ties will broaden and deepen, and AIT will continue to support two-way, mutually-beneficial investment across the supply chain. As part of this effort, AIT and the U.S. Department of Commerce are organizing a customized semiconductor program at this year’s SelectUSA Summit from May 1-4 in National Harbor, MD. We invite you all to be part of this continuing history of successful U.S.-Taiwan collaboration.
Once again, congratulations to Qualcomm on your anniversary and the completion of this new phase of your investment in Taiwan. We wish you success in the next 20 years of your presence here and we look forward to many more years of U.S.-Taiwan high-tech collaboration!
Thank you.