There was a report that Taiwan foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) corporations TSMC resumed a site development project for next-generation chip production after about three years.
On the 4th, Taiwanese media including the United Daily News, citing sources, reported that TSMC is reviving its construction plans as shortages of chips related to artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) worsen. The sources said TSMC is pushing again the third-phase expansion project of the Longtan Science Park, which had been effectively halted due to opposition from a self-help association in 2023, to resolve the global shortfall in AI-related supply lagging demand. The self-help association is similar in nature to a residents' countermeasures committee in Korea.
TSMC plans to invest 500 billion–600 billion Taiwan dollars (about 23.2 trillion–27.9 trillion won) in the third-phase site at Longtan Science Park to produce next-generation angstrom (Å, one ten-billionth of a meter)-class semiconductor chips. The site will expand from the original 88 hectares to 104 hectares.
Another source said it is related to the Taiwan government investing 100 billion Taiwan dollars (about 4.6 trillion won) by 2027 in the Taiwan version of Silicon Valley under the "Taoyuan–Hsinchu–Miaoli Greater Silicon Valley Plan," which Taiwan President Lai Ching-te pledged during the election.
Hsu Shih-min, Director General of the Hsinchu Science Park Administration, which oversees the northern Longtan Science Park, said residents who had opposed the project have changed their stance and that a public hearing related to the project was recently held. He added that after submitting and reporting the detailed plan to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in May and passing the review, it will be reported to the Executive Yuan (cabinet).
Earlier, President Lai promoted the "AI new 10 major constructions" last year, saying the initiative would generate production inducement of 15 trillion Taiwan dollars (about 699.7 trillion won) and create 500,000 AI jobs by 2040. He also said that by fully building out the AI ecosystem, Taiwan would become one of the world's top five computing powers and an "island of AI."