Gov. Hobbs visits TSMC facilities, meets with semiconductor industry leaders in Taiwan
Sep 19, 2023, 9:03 AM | Updated: Sep 25, 2023, 9:10 am
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs attends a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony in Taipei City, Taiwan, for a collaboration between the Arizona Science Center and the National Taiwan Science Education Center. (X Photo/@GovernorHobbs)
(X Photo/@GovernorHobbs)
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs met with semiconductor industry leaders in Taiwan on Monday as part of her ongoing trip to strengthen economic ties in east Asia.
After the meetings with suppliers and executives, Hobbs toured Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) fabrication and water treatment facilities in Taipei.
Hobbs also toured the Hsinchu Science Park, an influential science-based industrial park that is home to more than 400 companies in the semiconductor sector.
Semiconductor industry is booming in Arizona
With chipmaking giants TSMC and Intel making multibillion investments in Valley production facilities, the semiconductor industry has become a important component of Arizona’s economy.
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TSMC is spending $40 billion on two factories, or fabs, under construction in north Phoenix. The massive project has already created over 12,000 jobs and will have 4,500 direct employees when fully operational, according to a press release from Hobbs’ office.
“The collaborative relationship between Arizona and TSMC is critical for creating good-paying jobs and building businesses in our state,” Hobbs said in the release. “My administration is committed to fostering this important partnership and growing our semiconductor and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
“I’m confident that Arizona will continue to be a leader in semiconductor manufacturing for decades to come, creating thousands of jobs and bringing billions of dollars in investments.”
Why is Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs in Asia?
Hobbs, along with Arizona Commerce Authority President and CEO Sandra Watson, departed Friday for a weeklong visit to Taiwan and South Korea.
The Arizona delegation aims to develop partnerships for creating jobs and attracting investments, as well as bolster the state’s reputation for manufacturing and clean energy.
Over the weekend, the governor attended a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony for a collaboration between the Arizona Science Center and the National Taiwan Science Education Center (NTSEC).
“This signing represents a new opportunity for collaboration between Arizona and Taiwan, one focused on inspiring the next generation,” Hobbs said. “With this MOU, the Arizona Science Center and National Taiwan Science Education Center will be able to exchange best practices and bolster the international exchange already taking place within the semiconductor and related industries.”
After the signing, Hobbs toured the NTSEC, which has a permanent exhibition on semiconductors.
