Taiwan just delivered a diplomatic cold shoulder to Washington's boldest semiconductor gambit yet. Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun returned from US trade talks Wednesday insisting the Commerce Secretary's proposed '50-50' chip production split was never even on the table - a rejection that exposes deepening tensions over America's push to break Taiwan's stranglehold on global semiconductor supply.
Taiwan just told Washington exactly what it thinks of America's chip independence dreams. Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun delivered a blunt message Wednesday upon returning from US trade talks: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's proposal for a '50-50' split in semiconductor production between the two nations was never even discussed, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.
The rejection couldn't be more pointed. Instead of debating chip production quotas, Cheng said the talks focused on mundane trade mechanics - lowering Taiwan's 20% 'reciprocal' tariff rate, securing exemptions from tariff stacking, and reducing levies on Taiwanese exports. It's diplomatic speak for 'we're not interested.'
Lutnick had floated his audacious plan just days earlier in a NewsNation interview, arguing that America's 95% dependence on Taiwanese chips posed an unacceptable risk. 'My objective, and this administration's objective, is to get chip manufacturing significantly onshored - we need to make our own chips,' he declared. 'The idea that I pitched [Taiwan] was, let's get to 50-50. We're producing half, and you're producing half.'
But Taiwan's politicians aren't buying what America's selling. Eric Chu, chairman of the opposition Kuomintang party, branded Lutnick's proposal 'an act of exploitation and plunder.' Even more telling was his defense of what Taiwan considers its ultimate insurance policy: 'No one can sell out Taiwan or TSMC, and no one can undermine Taiwan's silicon shield.'
That 'Silicon Shield' reference cuts to the heart of why this matters. Taiwan's dominance in advanced chip manufacturing - led by TSMC's cutting-edge facilities - has long been viewed as the island's best protection against Chinese military action. The theory goes that Beijing won't risk destroying the very semiconductor infrastructure that powers everything from iPhones to data centers.
Lutnick tried to flip that logic in his interview, arguing Taiwan would actually be safer with more balanced production. 'The Silicon Shield is a myth,' he suggested, claiming distributed manufacturing would reduce Taiwan's target status. But Taiwan's leaders clearly aren't convinced by Washington's security analysis.
The timing of this diplomatic dust-up couldn't be more awkward. President Trump has already accused Taiwan of 'stealing' America's chip business, while his administration pushes aggressive onshoring policies through the CHIPS Act. is building fabs in Arizona, but those facilities won't match the scale or sophistication of Taiwan's operations anytime soon.
