The Place of Taiwan in International Business

 The Place of Taiwan in International Business

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

March 22, 2017

 Translation of an Except

The semiconductor industry can be called Taiwan’s top industry; Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) is the leading corporation in this top industry, and TSMC Chairman Morris Chang is the leader of the business leaders in this industry. Instead of using a regional concept to label TSMC, it would be better to say it is precisely a genuine "international business" with business operations spreading all over the world. Its every move is being watched and noticed to the extent that "If Morris Chang sneezes, Taiwan’s stock market will catch a cold." 

Also because of this, whenever TSMC makes a slight move, the industry sector becomes concerned whether it will "move out" or what. Recently, it was reported that TSMC was considering the option of "building the plant in the United States" for its new plan of a 3nm facility; although the corporation says “it is premature," the new trend is looming in the offing.

The current state of affairs in Taiwan: poor investment environment, ever-changing rules of the game, snail-paced administrative efficiency, and even populist atmospherics all lead to the phenomenon that nothing serious can be accomplished. From the decisions against Bayer, against DuPont, and against Formosa Plastic Group’s 6^th naphtha cracker plant, to the earlier failed attempt by Jason Hu in the last minute in seeking Guggenheim Museum to set up a branch in Taichung, the cases of failure are countless. TSMC is considering setting up a plant in the US; there is nothing wrong with international companies choosing between options based "purely on business considerations." However, has the government really heard the warning?

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