TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration approaches, Pegatron Chair Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) believes Taiwan will benefit and enjoy more advantages than disadvantages.
Tung made the remarks at a 700-table year-end celebration for staff on Sunday at the Nangang Exhibition Hall. Pegatron is a world-leading OEM IT manufacturer with close business relationships with many US companies, and multiple overseas production facilities.
Tung spoke with media attending the event, responding to a question about Trump’s call for higher tariffs and more military spending from Taiwan, per CNA.
According to Tung, Trump is expected to be more measured and pragmatic in his second term. For example, Tung said Trump's anti-immigration stance was well known before the election, but he has since changed his tune regarding skilled immigrants, such as those who apply for H-1B visas.
Furthermore, Tung said Trump also advocated allowing foreign students who graduate from US universities to obtain work visas and residence permits. Tung said such a policy would be a major attraction for a new generation of talent studying in the US.
Regarding cryptocurrency, Tung said Trump once voiced opposition but now is supportive much like his major backer, Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Tung said the US may soon loosen cryptocurrency and digital finance restrictions, unlocking the potential of blockchain technology in Web 3.0 applications.
Tung was blunt in his assessment that “Taiwan would be the winner” in any geopolitical unrest accompanying Trump’s second term. Tung said Taiwan's IT industry, which focuses on semiconductors and information communications, is a good partner in the global technology community and indispensable to the US.
Pegatron co-CEO Johnson Deng (鄧國彥) also addressed the media at the event, noting the company is prepared for any changes that may occur after Trump takes office. This includes ramping up overseas production capacity at Pegatron’s facilities in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Mexico.
Deng said the company has expanded such factories and deployed personnel, allowing it to quickly respond to customer directives. According to Deng, Pegatron not only established a new factory for mobile phone production but also a facility for electric vehicles and other communication products in India. Deng said India's internet infrastructure is growing rapidly, creating many opportunities for 5G.
And finally, Deng was clear that the company had no intention to withdraw from China. He did say that relocation of some production capacity is inevitable, though it is largely influenced by China's domestic needs.