TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Economics Minister J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) announced on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部) plans to establish a "Trade and Investment Center" (台灣貿易投資中心) in Fukuoka (福岡) to strengthen AI and semiconductor collaborations with Japan when he met with a delegation from Japan's Kyushu (九州) region.
Kuo emphasized Taiwan's pivotal role in the global semiconductor supply chain, noting its comprehensive upstream, midstream, and downstream industries. He highlighted the complementary nature of Taiwan's semiconductor sector with that of the Kyushu region and aims to leverage the new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) factory in Kumamoto (熊本) to extend the semiconductor supply chain into AI, robotics, and drones.
Kyushu Economic Federation (九州經濟連合會) Chairman Sumio Kuratomi (倉富純男) expressed the region's commitment to deepening cooperation with Taiwanese companies through the "New Silicon Island Kyushu" (新生九州矽島) plan launched last year.
The Governor of Miyazaki (宮崎縣知事) Prefecture Shunji Kono (河野俊嗣) pointed to the geographical proximity and frequent exchanges between Taiwan and Kyushu as a foundation for enhancing supply chain collaboration. He advocated for a more competitive industrial ecosystem through joint efforts.
