KAOHSIUNG (TVBS News) — In a powerful demonstration of Taiwan's continued dominance in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) celebrated a milestone expansion of its cutting-edge 2-nanometer production capabilities with a ceremony in Kaohsiung on Monday (March 31). The high-profile event, symbolizing TSMC's unwavering commitment to maintaining Taiwan as its hub for the most sophisticated chip technologies, attracted key government figures including Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), and Economic Minister J.W. Kuo (郭智輝).
Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛), TSMC's executive vice president and co-chief operating officer, outlined the transformative economic potential of the 2-nanometer technology during his address at the ceremony. The senior executive revealed impressive projections for the new technology's market impact, stating that once mass production begins, customer design finalizations during the initial two-year period would exceed those achieved with the 3-nanometer technology over a comparable timeframe. Even more striking was Chyn's forecast that the advanced chips would generate approximately US$2.5 trillion (around NT$83 trillion) in global end-product value within a five-year horizon, highlighting the technology's far-reaching implications for the global economy.
The technical superiority of the 2-nanometer technology was a central theme in Chyn's presentation, as he detailed significant performance improvements over current technologies. These advancements include a 10% to 15% increase in processing speed coupled with a substantial 25% to 30% reduction in power consumption, representing critical gains for next-generation electronic devices. The economic scale of TSMC's commitment to Kaohsiung is staggering, with investments in the Fab 22 facility exceeding NT$1.5 trillion (approximately US$45.2 billion). This massive investment promises to create over 7,000 high-tech positions and more than 20,000 construction jobs during development. Chyn emphasized that TSMC's overall operations in Taiwan already generate approximately NT$3 trillion (about US$90.4 billion) in annual output and support nearly 500,000 jobs across the island, with the new Kaohsiung facility set to further accelerate industrial development in the southern region.
According to the company's timeline, TSMC intends to commence mass production of the 2-nanometer process before the end of this year, marking another accelerated advancement in the company's technology roadmap. These ultra-advanced chips will power a diverse array of cutting-edge applications, from sophisticated supercomputers and next-generation mobile devices to advanced cloud manufacturing centers. Looking toward future expansion, Chyn disclosed that TSMC is currently engaged in discussions with government authorities to identify additional suitable sites for semiconductor manufacturing facilities. These efforts underscore the company's strategic intent to further expand its already substantial investments in Taiwan, reinforcing the island's position as the global epicenter of advanced semiconductor production despite increasing international competition.
