Taiwan vows to safeguard interests amid U.S.-led 'Chip 4' talks

Senior Taiwanese official says full decoupling from China is difficult

20221005 Two chips are on display at the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute

The U.S.-led "Chip 4" initiative includes Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, but Taipei is worried about its impact on its flagship semiconductor industry. © Reuters

THOMPSON CHAU, contributing writer, and CHENG TING-FANG, Nikkei staff writer

October 5, 2022 17:30 JST

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's government will safeguard the interest of its homegrown semiconductor companies, a top official said on Wednesday, addressing concerns about the potential impact of a U.S.-led chip alliance on Taiwanese tech industries.

Deputy Economic Affairs Minister Chen Chern-chyi said in a news conference on Wednesday that the purpose of the "Chip 4" alliance -- a framework to ensure a stable supply of vital semiconductors involving South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. -- is mainly "to work with our partners to form a resilient supply chain."