A former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) executive Yang Guang-lei called for stronger Taiwan-US cooperation if tariffs are imposed on Taiwan-made semiconductors.

On Jan. 27, former US President Donald Trump proposed tariffs of up to 100%, which Yang suggested aim to push foreign firms to invest in US manufacturing.

Yang warned that higher costs for Taiwan-made chips could hurt competitiveness and benefit rivals like Samsung and Chinese firms while disrupting US supply chains.

He urged Taiwan to collaborate with the US in areas like AI-driven production, military-grade semiconductors, and specialized chip development.

Recent Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. developments