The head of Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC has warned that an invasion would render its facilities “inoperative” as Nancy Pelosi’s Asian tour raises tensions between the United States and China. The US House Speaker is expected to arrive in Singapore on Monday, the first leg of an Asian tour that could include a visit to Taiwan. Even a brief stop by the speaker of the House of Representatives on the island would be considered a provocation by Beijing.
“No one can control TSMC by force,” the Taiwanese giant’s boss, Mark Liu, said in a rare interview on CNN, broadcast Monday. “In the event of the use of military force or invasion,” TSMC’s facilities will be rendered “inoperative,” he added.
More than half of the world market
“These facilities are so sophisticated. They depend on a real-time connection with the outside world, with Europe, Japan, the United States,” explained the leader. “From materials to chemicals to spare parts to software,” it’s “everyone’s effort” that keeps operations running, he added.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company operates the world’s largest silicon wafer factories, producing some of the most advanced chips used in everything from smartphones to cars and missiles.
The company shares the vast majority of the microchip market with Samsung, and the two groups’ factories are running flat out to make up for global shortages. The Taiwanese company controls more than half of the world market, with clients such as Apple and Qualcomm.
Source: BFM TV
