President Tsai attends launch of new Micron facility in Taichung
On the morning of November 6, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the launch of a new Micron Technology facility in Taichung. In remarks, President Tsai said that we are glad to see that Micron has continued to expand its investment in Taiwan and that it recognizes that Taiwan is a reliable and secure investment destination. The president expressed her belief that more robust infrastructure and a better environment have helped bolster our economic resilience during a testing time for the international community. She noted that in addition to efforts to strengthen our trade ties with our partners, we are also preparing Taiwan's industries for the future. The president said she hopes to see Micron continue to flourish in Taiwan and make an even greater mark in the digital and green sectors worldwide.
A transcript of President Tsai's remarks follows:
It is a pleasure to be here in Taichung for the opening of the new Micron facility. And it is great to see our friends from Micron, including President and CEO [Sanjay] Mehrotra, here with us to mark this important occasion.
The opening of this facility represents a milestone for Micron in advanced packaging technology and DRAM manufacturing. Here, I want to congratulate everyone on this achievement, and to thank you all for contributing to the success of Taiwan's memory materials and device sector.
Since building its A3 fab, Micron has continued to expand its investment in Taiwan. We are glad to see that major international firms such as Micron recognize that Taiwan is a reliable and secure investment destination.
Recent global challenges have shown us that working with reliable partners and developing secure supply chains are now more important than ever. No country or industry has been able to avoid the impacts of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic or Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And although we are not immune from the effects of such events, Taiwan has a proven record of meeting challenges head-on and ensuring that our society and economy remain stable.
Our ability to do so is no accident, as we know that stability starts from the ground up. Over the past few years, we have made substantial investments in upgrading Taiwan's infrastructure. As a result, from 2016 to 2023, Taiwan improved from the 14th to 6th overall in the IMD (Institute of Management Development) World Competitiveness Ranking, and from the 19th to 12th in the infrastructure category. With the stability and capacity that this improvement brings, international corporations will have ample space to grow and thrive in Taiwan.
More robust infrastructure and a better environment have also helped bolster our economic resilience during a testing time for the international community. In 2019, we initiated our Three Major Programs for Investing in Taiwan, which have, to date, helped to bring in more than US$70 billion in investment from Taiwanese firms.
Moreover, Taiwan's total FDI last year exceeded US$13 billion – the highest it has been in 15 years. Despite global economic downturns, Taiwan remains an attractive destination for investors.
In fact, in recent times, our trade relationships with key partners have reached new heights. In June this year, the first agreement was signed under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade. And last year, the Taiwan-EU Trade and Investment Dialogue was upgraded for the first time to the ministerial/director-general level. Representing significant progress in our economic relationships, these developments are also signs that, with deeper trade ties, the best is yet to come.
In addition to efforts to strengthen our trade ties with our partners, we are also preparing Taiwan's industries for the future. One such industry is semiconductor production, which will be indispensable to achieving global digital and green transitions. With this in mind, our government is laying the groundwork for this sector's continued success and for it to contribute to the development of other industries in Taiwan. With the strengths of our semiconductor industry, we have been promoting our Six Core Strategic Industries policy to spur innovation in areas ranging from 5G and AIoT to cybersecurity and precision medicine.
On the green transition front, having announced Taiwan's Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050, we are putting in place legislation and supporting technologies that will accelerate progress toward this goal. Taiwan is working with major firms to facilitate this transition, while helping them become more competitive. And, of course, we know that Micron will be an important part of this effort.
Micron is a key force for economic growth and innovation in Taiwan and around the world. We look forward to seeing Micron continue to flourish in Taiwan, and make an even greater mark in the digital and green sectors worldwide. Thank you, Micron, for being here with us.
Following her remarks, the president joined other guests in opening the facility's launch ceremony. Also in attendance at the event were Micron Corporate Vice President and Taiwan Country Manager Donghui Lu (盧東暉) and American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Sandra Oudkirk.