TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Wednesday presented a copy of TSMC founder Morris Chang’s (張忠謀) autobiography, to be delivered to US President Donald Trump during a US Independence Day reception in Taipei.
Trump recently said in a Fox News interview that Taiwan had “stolen” the US chip industry. The Cabinet responded that Taiwan’s position in the global semiconductor sector was built through decades of domestic research, development, and industrial effort, according to CNA.
Lai said he hoped the book would help Trump gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s semiconductor sector, according to CNA and Ettoday.
TSMC is the world’s largest contract chipmaker, with total investment in the US expected to reach NT$5.19 trillion (US$165 billion). The company’s origins reflect not only engineering capability but also strategic vision, according to Commonwealth Magazine.
In 1987, Chang identified a structural shift in the semiconductor field: as chips became more complex, large-scale, high-precision manufacturing would become both a bottleneck and a key source of value creation.
He went on to establish a company focused solely on chip manufacturing, without engaging in chip design. This pure-play foundry model later reshaped the global semiconductor landscape.
Lai said the gift also aimed to support broader US goals of reindustrialization and AI development, noting Trump’s interest in strengthening domestic production capacity. He added that the autobiography could help deepen cooperation between Taiwan and the US in semiconductors and AI.