TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan experts noted on Thursday (Nov. 7) that a new U.S. administration could see a potential push for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) to relocate its supply chain to the U.S.
Sun Ming-te (孫明德), director of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER, 台經院), pointed out that President-elect Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden have taken divergent approaches and highlighted the possibility of Trump opposing the CHIPS Act.
Trump's pre-election statements about raising tariffs to encourage chip manufacturing in the U.S. have sparked market concerns about impacts on Taiwan's semiconductor sector.
Chang Chien-yi (張建一), president of TIER, also mentioned that Biden's recent imposition of a 25% tariff on semiconductors might continue under Trump's leadership, as tariffs fall under presidential discretion, bypassing Congress.
Chang observed that if the U.S. uniformly taxes products from all countries, prices for high-end manufacturers like TSMC could rise, passing costs onto clients such as NVIDIA (輝達).
He acknowledged that if the U.S. uses tariffs to mandate supply chain relocation, it could increase costs for American consumers and potentially harm the U.S. economy.
Chang also highlighted that Trump's new administration staff differs from his previous tenure, indicating that the impact on Asian supply chains will depend on future policy decisions. Industry stakeholders are closely monitoring Trump's next moves, which could reshape global semiconductor dynamics.
