The Ministry of the Interior yesterday approved a development project to expand the Central Taiwan Science Park (中部科學園區), paving the way for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) to build an advanced 1.4-nanometer fab next year.
The project is crucial for the nation’s semiconductor industry in terms of next-generation technology and capacity, the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau said in a statement.
The bureau expects to hand over the land to interested semiconductor companies by the end of June next year, when the Taichung City Government completes land appropriation.
Photo courtesy of the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau via CNA
Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) earlier this month told reporters that TSMC had agreed to build an advanced fab, likely using 1.4-nanometer technology, in the expanded Central Taiwan Science Park after the chipmaker suffered a setback in October in building an advanced fab in the Longtan (龍潭) section of Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區) due to strong opposition by local residents.
The bureau said that a majority, or about 76 percent, of the 89.75 hectares to be appropriated is owned by a golf course operator, adding that the central and local governments would work together to solve issues concerning the golf course employees and compensation to members.
Government agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense, own about 13 percent of the land, the bureau said.
If the new project moves forward smoothly, it would generate NT$485.7 billion (US$15.6 billion) in annual production value and create 4,500 jobs upon completion, the bureau said.
Several companies from the semiconductor supply chain have expressed an interest in building operations there, it said.
Separately, MediaTek Inc (聯發科) yesterday said it would work closely with TSMC to produce its new flagship smartphone chips using 3-nanometer technology next year.
“Leading-edge technologies are very complicated and it is difficult for the company to switch [foundry] partners,” MediaTek chief executive officer Rick Tsai (蔡力行) told reporters when asked if the smartphone chip designer is considering a second source, such as Intel Corp or Samsung Electronics Co.
MediaTek has been working with Intel to produce chips using the latter’s 16-nanometer technology, Tsai said.
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