In an event with the local media, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen openly commented that they hope to reach the self-sufficiency in everything related to semiconductor equipment, a very ambitious goal that, obviously, will require a significant effort on your part, since it is not easy at all.
It seems that the key trigger for Taiwan to have set itself this goal is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has affected imports, and this has, in the end, very important consequences for the industry of the country, including that of semiconductors. In this sense, it is important to highlight that, without the appropriate equipment, it is not possible to manufacture semiconductors, and if the acquisition of this depends on imports, everything is complicated, as has been the case.
If Taiwan achieves this independence, one of its most important industries would free itself from the uncertainty generated, in a broad sense, by having to import equipment internationally, not only because of all that this implies in terms of costs, but also because of everything related to availability, delivery times and any unforeseen that could end up causing significant delays.
As many of our readers will know, the semiconductor industry is one of the great engines of the Taiwanese economy. In 2021 alone, the country’s companies dedicated to this activity invested some 36.3 billion dollars. Of that number, about 21,800 million dollars were allocated to the purchase of imported equipment, according to the president of the country. If Taiwan becomes “independent”, that money will not leave the country, and the domestic economy will be greatly stimulated.
Interesting, but that data we just gave confirms how far Taiwan is from achieving its goal. The big semiconductor equipment manufacturers have a lot of work to do, especially if they want to catch up and compete head-to-head with the big international players. It is not an impossible goal, this is clear, but it is presented as a fairly complicated long-distance race.
On the other hand, the president also mentioned that the local industry of equipment for the manufacture of semiconductors grew by 28.7% in 2021, although it is still relatively small, since its value was around $4.2 billion. However, the president was positive, and trusts that they will be able to fulfill their objective.
Cover photo: Taiwan News.
