賴總統昨天的國安談話提到「全球半導體民主供應鏈夥伴倡議」，强調「我們願意和美國等民主夥伴共同致力於打造更具韌性、多元化的半導體供應鏈，並運用尖端半導體的優勢，建立AI晶片產業鏈全球聯盟，以及高階晶片關聯產業民主供應鏈，以國際合作共創半導體產業發展的全新局面。」

其實最近幾年我們常常被問，臺灣的半導體產業已經成為國際推崇的標杆與學習對象，究竟我們是如何達成的？我們當然不是平白取自他國。回顧50年前，臺灣政府決定發展半導體產業，投入龐大的預算取得美國RCA公司的正式授權，引進當時尚非主流的CMOS（互補式金屬-氧化物-半導體）元件與製程技術。當時這個決策至關重大，且50年來政府、大學與研究機構、產業界三足鼎立合作無間，加上勤奮踏實、誠懇堅毅的半導體科技產業從業人員克服萬難，在長期的國際競爭合作中奮勇突破各種難關才能達到今天的地位。

更仔細一點講，1973年時任經濟部長孫運璿創立工研院並賦予發展半導體的任務，工研院隨即集結了許多優秀人才積極發展半導體科技並開發產品，衍生公司，可說是臺灣半導體產業的搖籃。當年鄰近工研院的兩所頂尖大學 (清華大學與交通大學) 也在臺灣半導體產業發展的關鍵時期，培育量多質精的半導體人才，透過學研合作，創造產業創新的源頭活水，並逐漸擴散到全國學界的投入。為了更有效率地推動科技產業的發展，行政院並於1980年責成國科會成立了新竹科學園區，引進積體電路、電腦及周邊、通訊、光電、精密機械等科技產業。科學園區提供進駐廠商單一窗口的服務及營運上的行政協助，並且結合學界進行研發合作與人才培育，這種獨特的運作模式迅速聚合垂直分工的產業鏈，加速半導體產品研發和生產效率。

時至今日，1987年政府推動成立於新竹科學園區的台積電已經成為全世界先進製程的標竿企業。台積電長期致力於前瞻製程半導體晶圓的製造技術研發，提供客製化與高良率的晶圓製造與先進封裝服務，此營運模式大幅提升了積體電路產品的開發效率與成本效益，造就出許多全球知名的無晶圓廠晶片公司，如 Qualcomm、Broadcom、AMD、NVIDIA、MediaTek等，甚至也協助許多系統公司開發專屬的前瞻製程晶片，如Apple、Google、Amazon、Microsoft、Meta、Tesla等。這些公司與台積電成爲夥伴關係，不須投入巨額資金建廠發展前瞻製程即可享有高品質、高良率的先進半導體製造服務，快速地專注於開發高附加價值的手機、AI資料中心、自駕車、機器人、衛星通訊等前瞻應用的晶片與系統產品。當年張忠謀先生以獨特的晶圓製造服務模式開創了全球垂直分工的半導體產業鏈，他卓越的經營管理能力以及整個臺灣半導體產業勤奮優秀的從業人員都是成功的關鍵因素。

幾十年來，國科會與經濟部及教育部合作確保政府持續投入半導體與晶片相關研究與人才培育，獎勵半導體產業技術開發，也持續提升科學園區發展與營運效率，協助臺灣的半導體產業在政府、大學與研究機構、產業界合作推進的機制能不斷强化，不斷精進。這些説明了臺灣是辛勤努力了半個世紀才能達到今天的成果，絕非輕易取自他國。

半導體產業是非常複雜且需精細分工的產業，在各國有其獨特產業强項的事實下，全球並不需要單一國家完全掌握或壟斷所有的技術即可達到最佳成本效益。譬如，日本在半導體化學品、材料及設備上舉足輕重，荷蘭在先進光刻機系統獨步全球，美韓在記憶體晶片有相對優勢，臺灣在前瞻製程晶圓製造及先進封裝領先各國，美國則於創新系統的設計與應用無出其右。這些民主夥伴國家各自發展專精的領域，並且彼此合作整合，達成互利且產生最大綜效，不但加速推動人類文明的進程，也創造民主供應鏈内各自的最高價值。

賴總統明確表達了臺灣願意持續貢獻，扮演全球半導體產業民主供應鏈中的一個可靠的合作夥伴。臺灣不只提供前瞻製程晶圓製造及先進封裝服務，促進民主先進國家創新產業持續成長壯大，也願意以臺灣為基地，協助友善民主國家在半導體產業鏈中扮演其適合的角色，包含材料、設備、晶片設計、晶圓製造、封裝測試等等，協助增強民主夥伴國家經濟韌性，並深化臺灣與理念相近國家的戰略夥伴關係。「極權主義愈集結，民主國家就應該更團結！」。

In his first high-level national security meeting yesterday, President Lai introduced an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies, emphasizing that “we are willing to collaborate with the US and our other democratic partners to develop more resilient and diversified semiconductor supply chains. Leveraging our strengths in cutting-edge semiconductors, we will form a global alliance for the AI chip industry and establish democratic supply chains for industries connected to high-end chips. Through international cooperation, we will open up an entirely new era of growth in the semiconductor industry.”

In recent years, we have often been asked how Taiwan’s semiconductor industry has become an internationally acclaimed benchmark and a model for learning. How did we achieve this? Obviously, we did not gain this for no reason from other countries.

Looking back over the past five decades, the Taiwan government made a critical decision to develop the semiconductor industry, allocating substantial budgets to secure official authorization from the American company RCA and introducing CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) component, which was unconventional in both the market and process technology. This decision was highly significant at the time. Over the past five decades, the government, universities and research institutions, and the industry have worked in a tripartite collaboration. Along with the dedication, perseverance, and integrity of professionals in the technology sector who have overcome numerous challenges, these efforts have enabled us to overcome various obstacles in long-term international competition and cooperation, ultimately achieving the position we hold today.

To elaborate the full story, in the year 1973, Yun-Suan Sun, who was the then-Minister of Economic Affairs established the Industrial Technology Research Institute(ITRI) and entrusted it with the mission of developing semiconductor. ITRI quickly gathered numerous outstanding talents who actively advanced semiconductor technologies, developed new products, and established spin-off companies, making it the cradle of the semiconductor industry in Taiwan. At that time, two top universities near the ITRI(National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University) also played a crucial role in the development of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. During this key period, they nurtured a large number of highly skilled professionals. Through academic-industry collaboration, they became a driving force for innovation in the semiconductor industry. To more efficiently develop the technology industry, Executive Yuan entrusted National Science and Technology Council with the establishment of Hsinchu Science Park in 1980, introducing key technology sectors such as integrated circuit, computing and peripherals, communications, optoelectronics, and precision machinery. Hsinchu Science Park provides a one-stop service for resident companies, offering administrative support for operations while also collaborating with academia in research, development, and talent cultivation. This unique operational model rapidly integrated a vertically segmented industrial chain, accelerating both the research and development as well as the production efficiency of semiconductor products.

Today, the government-led establishment of TSMC at Hsinchu Science Park in the year 1987 has grown into a globally recognized leader in advanced manufacturing processes. TSMC has been consistently committed to the mass production of cutting-edge semiconductor wafer fabrication technologies, offering customized, high-yield wafer manufacturing and advanced packaging services. This business model has greatly improved the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of integrated circuit product development, leading to the rise of many world-renowned fabless chip companies, such as Qualcomm, Broadcom, AMD, NVIDIA and MediaTek. Furthermore, it has also assisted plentiful system companies in developing exclusive advanced-process chips, including Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Tesla. These companies became partners with TSMC to obtain high-quality and high-yield advanced semiconductor manufacturing and services without investing a large amount of capital in building plants. Instead, they can swiftly focus on developing high-value-added products for forward-looking applications, such as smartphones, AI data centers, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and satellite communication systems. Back then, Dr. Morris Chang pioneered the globally vertically integrated semiconductor industry chain with his unique wafer manufacturing service model. His exceptional management skills, combined with the hard-working and talented professionals in Taiwan's semiconductor industry, were key factors in its success.

Over the past decades, National Science and Technology Council has consistently secured funding for scientific research, continuing to invest in semiconductor and chip-related research and talent cultivation while also improving the development and operational efficiency of science parks. These efforts help strengthen and refine the collaborative framework among the government, universities, research institutions, and the industry, driving the ongoing advancement of Taiwan’s semiconductor sector. This shows that Taiwan has invested half a century of hard work to achieve today’s success, and it certainly wasn’t something taken easily from other countries.

The semiconductor industry is highly complex and requires precise specialization and division of labor. Given that each country has its own unique industrial strengths, there is no need for a single nation to fully control or monopolize all technologies globally. For instance, Japan plays a pivotal role in producing key semiconductor chemicals, materials, and equipment. The Netherlands dominates the technology in the most advanced photolithography machines. The United States and South Korea hold a comparative advantage in memory chips. Taiwan’s front-end semiconductor manufacturing and advanced semiconductor packaging are in the world leading place. The United States is second to none when it comes to design and application of innovative systems. These democratic partner countries each develop their own specialized fields and collaborate to integrate their strengths, achieving mutual benefits and optimizing overall synergy. This not only accelerates the advancement of human civilization but also enables each participant in the democratic supply chain to realize their highest value.

President Lai made clear that Taiwan is willing to continue to contribute and play the role of a reliable partner in the democratic supply chain of the global semiconductor industry. Taiwan not only provides advanced-technology wafer manufacturing and packaging services to promote the continued growth and development of innovative industries in advanced democracies, but is also willing to use Taiwan as a base to assist friendly democratic countries in playing their appropriate roles in the semiconductor supply chain, including materials, equipment, chip design, wafer manufacturing, packaging and testing, etc., to help enhance the economic resilience of democratic partner countries and deepen Taiwan's strategic partnership with like-minded countries. “As authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must come closer in solidarity!”