While the government's preliminary approval on Wednesday of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (TSMC, 台積電) investment in 8-inch wafer manufacturing in China stimulated yesterday's local stock market, four TSU lawmakers -- accompanied by a small group of party members -- yesterday visited the Executive Yuan to voice their objections to the decision.
"The Cabinet made the decision without notifying us. We will prohibit Premier Yu Shyi-kun from giving his report to the Legislative Yuan on the 27th if they don't modify this decision," TSU Legislator Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) told reporters after he and the rest of the group had been received by Vice Premier Lin Hsin-yi.
He added that former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) was angered by the decision.
"[Former] President Lee said that the decision is just like providing free meat to tigers,'" Lo said.
Lo said that Lin had said he would convey the group's objections to Premier Yu Shyi-kun.
Lo argued that Premier Yu promised TSU chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) that the government would not allow such investments until the National Protection Law (國家科技保護法) has been passed.
The draft National Protection Law is intended to regulate the transfer of high-tech skills overseas.
In response, Premier Yu said yesterday evening that his promise to Huang had been "to submit the draft law to the Legislative Yuan," which he had done.
"The Executive Yuan didn't break any promise," he told reporters.
The bill has been held up in the legislature on procedural technicalities.
"While they [the Cabinet] made the promise, they approved the application. We would definitely oppose the decision, even though this might damage our relationship with the DPP," Lo said.
TSMC's US$898 million project was submitted to the government last September and was first reviewed by an inter-ministerial review committee last month.
Meanwhile, the Mainland Affairs Council's vice chairman, Chen Ming-tong (陳明通), emphasized that Wednesday's decision only referred to the fact that the TSMC is qualified for the investment, but there is still another phase of review, which requires the Cabinet's approval.
If TSMC makes it past the other phase of review, the company would get a license to establish TSMC (Shanghai) Ltd, which is expected to locate in the Songjiang Industrial Park (松江科技園) on the outskirts of Shanghai, transferring its funds and building the shell that will eventually house the fab.
Reacting to the TSU's argument, DPP legislative leader Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said that they totally respect the TSU's opinion, and would try to convince them to accept the decision.
The Cabinet, on the other hand, issued a news release stating that it would keep pushing the draft bill's passage in the next legislative session.
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