Chip, Taiwan respond to Trump's accusations: 'We don't rob US industry'
The Economy Minister's reply after the offensive launched by the US presidential candidate
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Key points
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Trump's words, which a few weeks ago raised some pretty major doubts about Taiwan's future, still echo. And they have lit a red light on the global future of semiconductors, viscerally linked to the fate of an island whose independence is made fragile by Chinese pressure.
Yesterday, Taiwan's economy minister responded to Trump's criticism of the island and denied that Taiwan had invaded the US chip industry.
"Taiwan is not stealing the chip industry from the US," Kuo Jyh-huei told reporters during a meeting in Taipei yesterday. "The chips we make are commissioned by US companies, which still have the highest gross margin. Trump may be misinformed on such matters, and we will clarify that."
L’antefatto
But let's take a step back.Trump shook Taiwanese officials and the global semiconductor markets with an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek on 16 July. In essence, the Republican candidate for the White House raised some doubts about the Taiwanese situation, hinting that should he win the election, Washington's foreign policy would change. For Trump, it is unfair that Taiwan does not pay the United States for the protection (from China) it has provided over the years.The tycoon also criticised Taiwan's own chip industry as being guilty of stealing technology from the US.
"Taiwan took away our chip business," Trump said in that interview. "I mean, how stupid are we? They took away our entire chip business. They are immensely rich."
