President Tsai Ing-wen said Aug. 22 that Taiwan is willing and able to enhance cooperation with democratic partners to build sustainable global semiconductor supply chains and work with the U.S. to forge ever closer ties.

Tsai made the remarks while receiving a delegation led by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and comprising State Secretary of Commerce Bradley Chambers and Mark Lundstrom, interim dean of the College of Engineering at Purdue University.

Taiwan and the U.S. are partners in freedom and democracy as well as key security and economic allies in the Indo-Pacific, Tsai said, citing prominent political figures and experts from think tanks and academia she has received in Taiwan over recent years.

Visits by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey and other friends of Taiwan bode well for expanded bilateral cooperation across the board, she said, adding that such staunch support is sincerely appreciated by the government and people.

According to the president, the signing into law of the CHIPS and Science Act by U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this month means that Indiana is set to become a center for emerging technologies, while Purdue University has also established a tech diplomacy institute.

Such positive developments align perfectly with those in Taiwan, which plays a key role in the global semiconductor industry, Tsai said. As economic security is a pillar of national and regional security, Taiwan is committed to building sustainable global supply chains to benefit the free world, she added.

In response, Holcomb said there are tremendous opportunities for cooperation between Taiwan and his state due to shared goals, interests and values.

The governor said one of the highlights of his visit is the memorandum of understanding signed with the Ministry of Economic Affairs on promoting collaboration in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and semiconductors.

Indiana’s commitment to forging a resilient economy starts with strengthening bonds with Taiwan, Holcomb said. The additional MOUs Purdue University will sign with Taiwan counterparts will propel ground-breaking research in many areas, he added. (SFC-E)

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