At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Cho Jung-tai received a National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) report on the establishment of core semiconductor facilities across Taiwan and the development of cutting-edge chip design software. The premier said the government plans to invest NT$300 billion (approximately US$9.5 billion) in semiconductors through 2033, combining hardware and software upgrades to further reinforce Taiwan's key position in global democratic supply chains.
The premier said Taiwan has a world-leading semiconductor industry ecosystem, but must continue investing in R&D for future-oriented technologies and the cultivation of high-level talent to sustain the industry's competitive edge. The government is therefore actively helping domestic companies forge international connections; promoting next-generation chip design and applications of advanced manufacturing processes; and facilitating R&D in key technologies such as silicon photonics, quantum technologies and unmanned vehicles.
Premier Cho noted that the NSTC's Taiwan Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program addresses hardware development through its nationwide establishment of core semiconductor facilities, and software development through its advancement of cutting-edge chip design software. The program upgrades core infrastructure at domestic academic and research institutes; accelerates R&D and deployment of key technologies; strengthens talent development; expands support services for startups; creates state-of-the-art process validation environments and pilot production lines for advanced semiconductor technologies; and spurs industrial innovation through equipment sharing and process integration. Furthermore, in the area of electronic design automation (EDA), the program bolsters the nation's capacity for independent development, advances next-generation EDA tools and key EDA technologies for heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging, and creates a platform for Taiwan's semiconductor EDA supply chain.