Taipei: Taiwan's National Security Council (NSC) chief Joseph Wu on Thursday rebutted U.S. President Donald Trump's recent remarks suggesting Taiwan had stolen the semiconductor business from the United States. "We did not steal anything from anybody," Wu stated at the HFX Taipei international security forum when asked to comment on Trump's accusation.
According to Focus Taiwan, Wu emphasized the organic growth of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), highlighting that the company started from scratch with some help from the international community, but continued to excel on its own merits. He further criticized China, calling it a 'big fat bully' for allegedly stealing from Taiwan, the United States, and other countries. Wu's remarks come amid Trump's ongoing criticism of Taiwan's semiconductor industry, particularly TSMC, as he continues his presidential campaign.
Trump recently claimed that Taiwan had "taken our chip business away," while threatening tariffs on foreign semiconductor imports to encourage domestic chip production in the U.S. Wu noted that Taiwan's government has been assessing the potential impacts of these proposed tariffs and is prepared to adjust its economic structure if necessary. He warned that such tariffs could lead to increased prices for U.S. consumers, questioning the fairness of the economic playing field.
Wu expressed confidence that the U.S. might eventually reconsider its decision on tariffs, as the economic burden could ultimately fall on American consumers. His comments reflect the ongoing tension between the U.S. and Taiwan regarding the semiconductor industry, a critical component of the global technology supply chain.