President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday vowed to help local manufacturers solve a water supply shortage, as local semiconductor firms play a crucial role in global supply chains.
Tsai made the remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a 12-inch fab that Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (力積電) is building in Miaoli County’s Tongluo Science Park (銅鑼科學園區).
Powerchip is the world’s No. 7 foundry service provider by revenue.
Photo: Cheng I-hwa, Bloomberg
Tsai’s comments came after criticism from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators, who accused her of incompetency in tackling the crisis, despite splurging on river revitalization and reservoir dredging.
Tsai has been targeted as the government plans to tighten water restrictions in some areas of Taichung, as well as Miaoli and Changhua counties, from April 6.
“The government will proactively seek diverse approaches to conserve water and improve water allocation,” Tsai said. “The government will also explore more alternative water resources, including emergency wells and boosting groundwater supply.”
Manufacturers in the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區), which houses Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), are to be spared further restrictions thanks to water supplied via the Taoyuan-Hsinchu pipeline.
The government has a vision to make Taiwan a center of advanced semiconductor process technologies, part of a broader plan to develop six strategic industries, Tsai said.
It has been a major undertaking of the government to solicit investment from multinational companies and overseas Taiwanese manufacturers, she said.
In response to complaints by Miaoli County Commissioner Hsu Yao-chang (徐耀昌) about the water restrictions, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said that only a few areas of the county face additional rationing.
The new measure is expected to affect about 1.064 million people in the areas, the ministry said.
The priority is to prepare detailed plans for water surcharges, while water rate hikes are also to be discussed, Wang said.
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