Clued-in | U.S. pressure threatens Taiwan's chip industry

Cartoon by Yu Zhenjie

The U.S. has stepped up pressure on Taiwan's chip industry in recent weeks, pushing it to manufacture advanced semiconductors on American soil. President Donald Trump predicted that 40 to 60 percent of semiconductor production would be located in the U.S. by the end of his term.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) pledged to invest a further $100 billion in the U.S. state of Arizona, Reuters reported. The company had previously announced investments of $165 billion in the country, bringing its total U.S. commitment to $265 billion.

As the U.S. continues to pull Taiwan's chip production capacity away from the island, Taiwan's own industry risks losing its foundation. By sacrificing the interests of the business community for political gain, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities are jeopardizing not only the industry's future but also the livelihoods of people in Taiwan.