Speaker Han, legislative delegation visit TSMC's Arizona campus

Taipei, June 23 (CNA) Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and a cross-party delegation of lawmakers visited contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (TSMC) campus in Arizona on Monday, according to the Legislative Yuan.

In a statement, the Legislative Yuan said Tuesday Han, who departed for the U.S. on Sunday at the head of a cross-party legislative delegation, met with TSMC Arizona CEO Ray Chuang (莊瑞萍) to discuss the chipmaker's investment in Phoenix.

Han, Chuang and Chuang's management team exchanged views on talent cultivation, technology and production capacity development, as well as the possible impact investing in the U.S. could have on Taiwan's industrial sector, the statement said.

Chuang told Han that despite TSMC's investments in Arizona, the chipmaker is determined to keep its most advanced technologies and core R&D efforts in Taiwan.

The first fab at TSMC's Arizona campus began mass production in the fourth quarter of 2024, while construction of a second fab has been completed, with mass production scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027. Construction of a third fab started earlier this year.

The three fabs were the centerpieces of TSMC's US$65 billion initial investment project in Arizona. The chipmaker also announced an additional US$100 billion investment plan to build three more fabs, two IC assembly facilities and one research and development center in the U.S. state.

The Legislative Yuan said Han met with representatives of Taiwanese companies operating in Arizona, including the Taiwan AI Smart Health Showcase Center and TSMC suppliers. During the meetings, participants raised concerns about talent recruitment, regulatory requirements and visa issues, and Han said he would relay those concerns to U.S. officials.

Han and the delegation also attended a banquet with Taiwanese investors and expatriates in Arizona, the statement added.

Arizona was the first stop of Han's six-day tour to the U.S.

The delegation will next head to Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. senators, members of the House of Representatives and senior U.S. government officials before returning to Taiwan on Friday.