Month: December 2022

Taiwan-based GlobalWafers Co. said Friday it had begun construction of a 12-inch silicon wafer plant in Texas, with the aim of beginning mass production in 2024.

In a statement, GlobalWafers, the world’s third-largest supplier of silicon wafers, said a groundbreaking ceremony held in Sherman on Thursday was attended by federal and state government representatives as well as White House officials.

In June, GlobalWafers announced it would spend US$5 billion to build a silicon wafer plant in Sherman if the United States passed the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act.

The act, signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden in August, authorizes the provision of US$52 billion in subsidies to ramp up semiconductor production in the United States, plus a commitment of US$100 billion over five years for research and development, part of which went to fund GlobalWafers’ Texas project.

GlobalWafers said it expected the Texas plant — the first silicon wafer factory to be built in the United States in more than 20 years — to address the critical shortage in domestically supplied silicon chips in the U.S. market.

“This major expansion by GlobalWafers is being brought to fruition, as a result of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 funding, state/local incentives as well as the strong support from U.S. local customers,” GlobalWafers said in the statement.

“Lack of domestic silicon wafer supply for the U.S. semiconductor industry has become alarming and highlighted with recent pandemic and geopolitical issues. Customers have been welcoming of this action by the company as evidenced by long-term supply contracts, which address the key target markets of automotive, mobile, PC, consumer and industrial,” the Taiwan-based manufacturer said.

GlobalWafers said it would invest an initial NT$55 billion (US$1.830 billion) in Sherman, with the Texas factory part of a NT$100 billion expansion plan announced by the company earlier this year.

According to GlobalWafers, the company chose to invest US$5 billion in Sherman due to major clients having a foothold in the U.S. market, which meant that locally producing and supplying wafers would significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

GlobalWafers said it planned to start mass production at the Texas site in 2024, with the plant rolling out 1.2 million units in the maximum monthly capacity once construction, equipment installation and customer sampling were completed.

Currently, the silicon wafer supplier operates 16 sites in 10 countries, including Taiwan, China, the United States, Japan, Denmark, Poland, South Korea, Italy, Malaysia and Singapore.

GlobalWafers is one of several prominent Taiwanese semiconductor investors in the U.S. market under the CHIPS Act.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is building a US$12 billion advanced 5-nanometer process wafer fab in Arizona, with the world’s largest contract chipmaker aiming to begin mass production at the site in 2024.

On Dec. 6, TSMC will hold a “first tool-in” ceremony, attended by Biden, to mark the installation of the first batch of production equipment.

TSMC is likely to produce chips made on the even more sophisticated 3nm process in the next phase of the Arizona project.

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Visiting U.K. parliamentarian Alicia Kearns underlined the importance of deterrence in safeguarding the cross-Taiwan Strait status quo at a press conference Friday, following her delegation’s meetings with Taiwanese government officials over the past few days.

“It’s all about deterrence and preventing” any conflict in the Taiwan Strait, said Kearns, a Conservative MP and chair of the U.K. House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

She said the delegation of U.K. parliamentarians had discussed military conflict, cyber threats, defense cooperation and a range of security issues with officials in Taiwan, with a focus on safeguarding and maintaining the cross-strait relations status quo.

The seven-member group has met with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), as well as foreign affairs and national security officials since their arrival on Tuesday.

“And we talked about how we as the international community work together to prevent [conflict], and therefore the importance of deterrence diplomacy,” she said, without going into detail.

“We must prevent conflict; we must ensure that Taiwan is respected, and we must safeguard its sovereignty, safeguard the strait, and safeguard all of those who live in Taiwan and wish to continue living in a democratic way,” Kearns said.

“The international community must stand ready, to stand in support of democracies in the face of autocracy,” she added.

The all-party House of Commons delegation led by Kearns met with Tsai earlier on Friday at the Presidential Office, during which Tsai called on democracies to “stand more united than ever in the face of authoritarian expansion.”

Tsai said Taiwan attached great importance to its relations with the U.K. and that Taipei looked forward to collaborating more with London to advance bilateral relations.

The visit by the British delegation from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 came just one day after U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said during a major policy speech the so-called “golden era” of U.K.-China relations was “over,” and that Beijing’s systemic challenge to British values and interests was growing “more acute.”

Kearns said the prime minister’s remarks did not mean the U.K. would “cut off” China, but rather suggested that the country should take a more robust and pragmatic approach with Beijing.

“We will continue to trade with China … But we also have to be resilient, and that means supply chain resilience,” she said.

In this regard, Kearns said, the foreign affairs committee would welcome deeper economic trade ties between the U.K. and Taiwan, as the two have “complementary economies.”

The lawmaker told Tsai in the earlier meeting that apart from existing cooperation on offshore wind power and language education, the committee hoped to further two-way trade and investment links between Taiwan and the U.K.

At the press conference, Kearns also expressed disappointment with the Chinese embassy in London’s criticism of the delegation’s Taipei trip.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Chinese embassy said the U.K. parliamentarians’ visit to Taiwan was “a flagrant violation of the one-China principle” and “a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.”

The embassy also warned that the undermining of China’s interests would be met with “forceful responses.”

“I would be disappointed if the Chinese ambassador has criticized us for coming here,” Kearns said.

“We are open for dialogue and discussion, and we would always want to have dialogue with all partners to avoid miscalculations and to be able to make clear our own views,” she added.

 

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

The first edition of “STAART Illustration Art Fair” will take place in Kaohsiung at the TAI Urban Resort from Dec. 22-25, featuring over 500 pieces of art by about 90 Taiwanese and Asian artists displayed in hotel rooms, according to the organizers.

The art fair, which will use up to 40 hotel rooms at the TAI Urban Resort as display rooms, focuses on illustration with a visual narrative, as it aims to bring viewers closer to the art by making it part of the room décor, according to STAART Illustration Art Fair Ltd.

The more than 500 displayed works include pieces by Taiwan author-illustrator Ballboss, whose pieces combine art and commercial thinking, creating original productions and experiences between visual and performing arts in a range of different spaces.

His art brand, “Ballboss & Stories,” received the “Taiwan’s Stars of Culture and Creativity” award in 2016 and 2017, while his illustration works were nominated at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 2019 and 2022.

In 2020, Ballboss’ works were also selected as part of the Presidential Office’s permanent exhibition “Power to the People.”

Taiwanese Street artist Mister OGAY (黑雞先生), who has been invited to take part in graffiti projects in Japan, China and New York, will also feature works at the fair.

Mister OGAY’s graffiti art motifs often feature a sometimes nearly naked male figure and since his debut in the world of graffiti in 2000, his works have frequently appeared on walls across Taiwan. He has also been reported to the authorities more than any other graffiti artist in the country.

Through his work Mister OGAY re-interprets the interrelationships between institutions, social issues, people and the environment as he attempts to subvert people’s existing values by purposely excluding shallow appearances, and encouraging consideration of the deeper nature of human affairs from different perspectives.

Another artist to have his works featured at the event is South Korean concept artist Jamsan, who worked on the children’s storybooks that appeared in the smash-hit drama series “It’s Okay Not to Be Okay.”

“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” which earned popularity after streaming on Netflix, is recognized for its visual storytelling that includes Jamsan’s illustrations, according to the English language newspaper The Korea Times.

Taiwanese celebrity and artist Kristy Chu (曲家瑞) told CNA that she is excited about the upcoming event as having works displayed in hotel rooms minimizes the distance between people and art.

“You can imagine the work being displayed in your home, like in your living room and bedroom, and it brings you closer to the art than in an art gallery,” Chu said.

Chu will also feature a collection of works centered around portraits of second-hand toys at the art fair.

“I’ve had some of these toys for more than 20 years, so they are like my friends, my kids, a part of my family, and I decided to do portraits of them,” Chu said.

Co-organized by STAART and TAI Urban Resort, the art fair also searches for up-and-coming artists amid the highlighted artists, dedicating its efforts to universalizing the act of collecting contemporary art and encouraging a healthy and sustainable ecology to support illustration art, according to the organizers.

Tickets to the art fair can be purchased on ticketing platforms Accupass, ibon and Klook as well as on the TAI Urban Resort website.

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Attendees at the 4th Asia Trails Conference on Friday exchanged their experiences operating sustainable trails, highlighting the importance of international cooperation and community participation.

The five-day conference in Taipei, which celebrates the world’s greenways and the pairing of hiking trails in Taiwan with those from around the world, underscores ways to make the trails more resilient and accessible, particularly in the face of challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and global warming.

Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶), director general of the Forestry Bureau, said in a speech it is crucial to solicit community input for trail operations, allowing residents to plan the services they can provide to boost the local economy.

A good example is the contribution made by the Indigenous Tsou people to the Mountains to Sea National Greenway, which was established in 2018 and connects the central mountain range with coastal areas in southern Taiwan’s Tainan, Lin said.

During the conference, which is being attended by 84 international experts from nine countries and regions, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the bureau and the Bruce Trail Conservancy in Canada to establish it as a sister trail with the Mountains to Sea National Greenway.

In addition, the attendees paid tribute to 100 years of trail history, since the establishment of the Appalachian Trail in the United States in 1921.

The 3,500-kilometer trail, an initiative led by Benton MacKaye, has become an inspiration for the thru-hiking tradition and a positive force for wilderness protection, said Laura Belleville, vice president of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Conservation & Policy Division.

After the Dec. 2-3 symposium, attendees will have a chance to experience first hand some of Taiwan’s popular trails, according to the event’s organizer, the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association (TMI Trail).

Masafumi Saito, a long-distance hiker and trail columnist from Japan, will personally spend about 70 days traversing the Tamsui-Kavalan Trails, the Mountains to Sea National Greenway and the Raknus Selu Trail before returning to Japan on Jan. 13.

TMI Trail and the trails conference are part of the Asia Trails Network, the regional body of the World Trails Network, which connects and advocates for hiking and scenic trail experiences internationally.

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

Shares in Taiwan moved lower Friday after fluctuating in consolidation mode ahead of the release of the U.S. job data later in the day.

 

Dealers reported that investors, awaiting clues from the upcoming job report, held off during the session, despite reduced fears over an aggressive Federal Reserve after Chair Jerome Powell struck a softer tone earlier this week.

 

The Taiex, the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s (TWSE) weighted index, ended down 42.12 points, or 0.28 percent, at 14,970.68 after moving between 14,921.06 and 15,021.73. Turnover totaled NT$223.1 billion (US$7.3 billion).

 

The market opened down 0.53 percent on a technical correction from a session earlier, when the Taiex rose 0.90 percent.

 

Investors took cues from a lackluster showing on the U.S. markets, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.56 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index rose only 0.13 percent overnight ahead of the release of the U.S. nonfarm payroll report for November.

 

Tech stocks

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the market’s most heavily weighted stock, came under pressure along with other semiconductor heavyweights.

 

iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. — second to TSMC in terms of market capitalization posted — lent some support to the broader market.

 

“Market sentiment seemed to have improved in recent sessions after Powell’s speech on Wednesday,” Hua Nan Securities analyst Kevin Su said. “Still, before the job data, many investors preferred to take a pause after yesterday’s rally.”

 

On Wednesday, Powell said the pace of interest rate increases was likely to slow in the current rate hike cycle, potentially starting in December.

 

However, Powell cautioned that the Fed’s monetary policy was likely to stay tight for some time until signs of progress emerged on inflation.

 

“Since the beginning of November, the Taiex has gained significantly, and it was no surprise that caution set in before the job data is out amid fears over a possible technical pullback,” Su said.

 

Before Friday, the local main board had moved up by 2,063.05 points, or 15.93 percent, since the beginning of November.

 

“TSMC fell victim to profit-taking. But fortunately, Hon Hai and its subsidiaries scored gains to offset the losses suffered by the semiconductor industry. This was due to optimism toward the company’s efforts in developing the electric vehicle business to diversify its product portfolio,” Su said.

 

Outperforming the broader market, Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn globally, gained 2.43 percent to close at NT$105.50, with subsidiaries in its EV supply chain also scoring significant gains as connector maker Pan-International Industrial Corp. soaring 10 percent to end at NT$39.75.

 

Auto interior device provider G-TECH Optoelectronics Corp., another Hon Hai’s unit, surged 9.29 percent to close at NT$22.35, and car lift door supplier Eson Precision Ind. Co., also a subsidiary of Hon Hai, rose 5.38 percent to end at NT$64.60.

 

At the other end of the market, TSMC lost 1.20 percent to close at NT$492.50 as the stock faced stiff technical resistance ahead of the NT$500,00 mark. TSMC led the electronics sector and the semiconductor sub-index lower by 0.17 percent and 0.74 percent, respectively.

 

Among other semiconductor stocks, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip supplier Nanya Technology Corp. fell 2.43 percent to end at NT$56.10, smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc. dropped 0.27 percent to close at NT$739.00, and United Microelectronics Corp., a smaller contract chipmaker, lost 0.22 percent to end at NT$45.50.

 

Bucking the downward trend, power management IC designer Silergy Corp. soared 10 percent to close at NT$544.00, and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., another smaller contract chipmaker, rose 1.76 percent to end at NT$34.60.

 

Nontech sector

Su said the nontech sector largely encountered profit-taking throughout the session.

 

Food conglomerate Uni-President Enterprises Corp. lost 1.37 percent to close at NT$65.00, and rival Wei Chuan Foods Corp. fell 0.52 percent to end at NT$19.15.

 

In addition, Formosa Plastics Corp. shed 1.76 percent to close at NT$89.10, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp. lost 1.19 percent to end at NT$74.50, textile brand Far Eastern New Century Corp. dropped 1.07 percent to close at NT$32.30, while Eclat Textile Co. gained 1.95 percent to end at NT$470.00.

 

“Investors sitting on large funds tended to find somewhere to park their money. Today, the biotech industry is their target due to the Healthcare+ Expo (which kicked off Thursday),” Su said. “But, its weighting is small, failing to lift the broader market out of the weakness.”

 

In the biotech sector, which rose 1.0 percent, food supplement brand Grape King Bio Ltd. rose 5.92 percent to close at NT$152.00, drug developer Sinphar Pharmaceutical Co. gained 1.69 percent to end at NT$30.15, and medical equipment supplier Maxigen Biotech Inc. added 1.03 percent to end at NT$44.25. However, test kit brand Panion & BF Biotech Inc. ended unchanged at NT$168.00.

 

According to the TWSE, foreign institutional investors sold a net NT$50.52 million worth of shares on the main board Friday.

 

 

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel