TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) Chair and CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家) on Thursday (April 17) firmly rejected rumors of a potential Intel partnership while expressing confidence in the company's outlook despite looming tariff threats. During the company's first-quarter earnings call, Wei addressed investor concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed semiconductor import tariffs.
Wei sought to calm market jitters about geopolitical tensions affecting the world's largest contract chipmaker. "We understand there are uncertainties and risks from the potential impact of tariff policies. However, we have not seen any change in customer behavior so far," he stated, projecting an optimistic nearly 20% increase in 2025 revenue in U.S. dollars.
The TSMC chief explicitly shut down speculation about collaboration with American chip giant Intel. "TSMC is not engaged in any discussion with other companies regarding any joint venture, technology licensing, or technology transfer and sharing," Wei emphasized, putting to rest persistent industry rumors.
Regarding overseas investments, Wei explained that TSMC's global strategy remains guided by customer requirements, geopolitical flexibility considerations, and government support packages. The company plans to speed up expansion efforts in response to robust artificial intelligence demand, particularly from major U.S. clients including Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm, and Broadcom.
The semiconductor giant is further strengthening its American footprint with plans for two specialized advanced packaging facilities and a dedicated research center in Arizona. These additions aim to enhance the AI supply chain ecosystem, supporting both smartphone applications and the growing AI-powered personal computer market. ★
