Taiwan's electronics sector is closely monitoring the repercussions of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the US, although the immediate effects on production and deliveries may not be serious, according to local industry sources.
The US remains the largest market for Taiwan's electronics products. In the first six months of this year, Taiwan's electronics manufacturers exported US$63 billion worth of products, of which 22.5 percent, worth US$14 billion, went to the US.
Several manufacturers in the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (新竹科學園區), such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), Macronix International Corp (旺宏電子) and Winbond Electronics Corp (華邦電子), said that the tragic incidents will have little effect on the operations of industrial firms in Taiwan. However, they suggested that the horrific loss of life in US may delay an economic recovery.
Most electronics manufacturers expect the market for their products to rebound in the fourth quarter of this year. However, the terrorist attacks have shaken the confidence of the industry, according to Tsai Kuo-chih (蔡國智), general manager of Powerchip Semiconductor Corp (力晶半導體).
Tsai said that in the short run, local manufacturers may be faced with higher oil prices and tumbling financial markets.
Wang Sheng-hung (
In the meantime, the US may tighten its import restrictions. As a leading high-tech products supplier to the US, Taiwan's electronics sector will inevitably be affected, he added.
In related news, trade disruptions to the US, which closed its air space for the first time in the wake of the attacks, could hurt Taiwan high-tech firms.
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