Taiwan to keep production of 'most advanced' chips at home: deputy FM

Its dominance of the industry has long been seen as a "silicon shield" protecting it from an invasion or blockade by China -- which claims the island is part of its territory -- and an incentive for the United States to defend it. "We will try to maintain the most advanced technology in Taiwan, and to be sure that Taiwan continues to play an indispensable role" in the semiconductor ecosystem, Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Chih-chung Wu told AFP in an interview Wednesday. The island does not have enough land, water or energy to accommodate the fabrication plants, or fabs, needed to meet soaring demand for chips, "so step by step we enlarge our investment in the world, but still linking with Taiwan", said Wu, who was previously the representative to France.