Apple to Broaden Cooperation With TSMC 台積電美國廠上機 庫克:蘋果將擴大合作

Apple CEO Tim Cook also attended TSMC's opening on Dec. 6, where he confirmed Apple will expand its business with TSMC and purchase chips made by that plant. However, there are concerns that TSMC will lose its advantages as a result of its cooperation with the U.S..

Many tech VIPs attended the opening ceremony for TSMC's new facility in Arizona on Dec. 6, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, AMD CEO Lisa Su, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, and Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. Cook confirmed Apple will broaden its cooperation with TSMC and purchase U.S.-made chips.

Tim Cook, CEO, Apple: “And we look forward to expanding this work in the years to come, as TSMC forms new and deeper roots in America.”

TSMC founder Morris Chang recalled that he dreamed of setting up factories in the U.S. in the company's initial stage, but a factory in Oregon quickly became a nightmare. Mark Liu shared this dream after becoming chairperson, which is now a reality.

C.C. Wei, CEO, TSMC: “Morris Chang, you had a dream, I'm the guy who made the dream come true.”

Concerns have been raised about TSMC stepping up its cooperation with the U.S., including the impact on Taiwan's semiconductor industry. TSMC CEO C.C. Wei recently said it's impossible for TSMC to be knocked down. Experts said Taiwan's advantage remains, and the key is trust.

Su Tzu-yun, Director, Div. of Defense Strategy & Resources, INDSR: “Trust is what's most important when it comes to similar advanced semiconductor facilities. Countries will catch up when it comes to technologies, so trust in the security of the technologies is what I believe will be key.”

Representative to the U.S. Hsiao Bi-khim was also in attendance. She posted on Facebook that some people said TSMC will become an American company, but she finds this illogical because TSMC continues to invest in Taiwan and no one can dispute that it is staying in Taiwan.

台積電美國上機典禮，重量級科技巨頭受邀齊聚一堂，包括蘋果執行長庫克，超微執行長蘇姿丰，輝達執行長黃仁勳和美光執行長梅羅塔都獻上祝賀，庫克更證實，蘋果將會擴大與台積電的合作，未來將會有美製晶片。

蘋果執行長庫克表示：「我們期待在未來幾年擴大這項工作，隨著台積電在美國形成新的更深的根基。」

台積電創辦人張忠謀則回憶在初期，他有在美國創設晶圓廠的夢，但當時在奧勒岡設廠卻成為惡夢，當劉德音接下董事長一職，也必須共享這個夢想，現在也實現了。

台積電總裁魏哲家說道：「張忠謀創辦人你有個夢，而這一切美夢成真。」

不過台積電台美合作也引發質疑聲浪，擔心護國神山不在或是淘空台灣半導體，台積電總裁魏哲家日前首度回應，直言門都沒有，台積電不可能被擊倒。專家也分析台灣優勢仍在，關鍵就是信任。

國防院戰略所所長蘇紫雲指出：「類似的這種半導體先進設備，其實最重要的是一個信任，因為技術各國都慢慢會趕上，但是這一種就是科技安全的信任我想是最為關鍵的。」

同樣出席典禮的駐美代表蕭美琴，也在臉書發文表示，有人說台積電會變美積電，這個形容不合邏輯，因為台積電持續投資台灣、根留台灣是不爭的事實。