Their local companies, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

其在地公司，如臺灣半導體制造公司

TSMC, have established the island as a crucial player in the global tech supply chain.

臺積電，使這個島國成為全球科技供應鏈中的重要一員。

As of 2022, Taiwan is responsible for more than 60% of the global foundry market, with TSMC alone accounting for nearly 54% of the world's total chip production.

截至 2022 年，臺灣佔全球代工市場的 60% 以上，僅臺積電一家就佔全球芯片總產量的近 54%。

This success has led the entire island to become one of the world's most successful and richest economies. In the same year, the semiconductor industry contributed over $184 billion to the total exports of Taiwan, which is the size of some nations' GDP.

這一成功使整個臺灣島成為世界上最成功、最富裕的經濟體之一。同年，半導體產業對臺灣出口總額的貢獻超過 1,840 億美元，相當於一些國家的國內生產總值。

Even its largest company, TSMC, has a market valuation of a massive $892 billion, making it the ninth most valuable company globally.

即使是其最大的公司臺積電，市場估值也高達 8 920 億美元，成為全球第九大最有價值的公司。

The success of Taiwan within the semiconductor chain is often repeated as semiconductors gain prominence in global politics, yet many don't actually know how TSMC and the entire Taiwan semiconductor industry started. How did it even become successful to begin with?

隨著半導體在全球政治中的地位日益突出，臺灣在半導體產業鏈中的成功屢見不鮮，但許多人實際上並不瞭解臺積電和整個臺灣半導體產業是如何起步的。它是如何開始成功的？

Well, let's take a look at the historical lens and see just how Taiwan became the world's semiconductor manufacturing hub. Before Taiwan became a powerhouse in high technology, its economy was largely based on agriculture and low-cost manufacturing.

讓我們從歷史的角度來看看臺灣是如何成為世界半導體制造中心的。在臺灣成為高科技強國之前，其經濟主要以農業和低成本製造業為基礎。

The island's industrial strategy began to shift in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the Taiwanese government, led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, recognized the need to diversify the economy and develop more technologically advanced industries.

20 世紀 60 年代末和 70 年代初，以經濟部為首的臺灣政府認識到經濟多元化和發展技術更先進產業的必要性，島內的工業戰略開始發生轉變。

One of the first steps the government took was establishing the Industrial Technology

政府首先採取的措施之一是成立工業技術局。

Research Institute, ITRI, in 1973. ITRI was set up as a government-backed research institute to support industrial innovation in Taiwan, particularly in technology-intensive fields such as semiconductors. This was a pivotal moment for Taiwan as it marked the beginning of state-driven support for high-tech industries. ITRI played a key role in researching new technologies and facilitating technology transfer from abroad to local firms. For instance,

臺灣工業技術研究院（ITRI）成立於 1973 年。工研院是由政府支持成立的研究機構，旨在支持臺灣的工業創新，尤其是在半導體等技術密集型領域。這是臺灣的關鍵時刻，標誌著國家開始支持高科技產業。工研院在研究新技術和促進國外向在地企業轉讓技術方面發揮了關鍵作用。例如

ITRI negotiated licensing deals and partnerships with foreign companies that allowed Taiwanese firms to access critical semiconductor manufacturing technologies. At this time, the Taiwanese government also encouraged foreign direct investment, FDI, by creating science parks, offering tax incentives, and subsidizing the training of engineers.

工研院與外國公司談判許可協議和合作關係，使臺灣公司能夠獲得關鍵的半導體制造技術。此時，臺灣政府還通過建立科技園區、提供稅收優惠和補貼工程師培訓等方式鼓勵外國直接投資。

The most notable science park, Hsinchu Science Park, was established in 1980. Modeled after

最著名的科學園區--新竹科學園區成立於 1980 年。它仿照

California's Silicon Valley, it provided the infrastructure and ecosystem that allowed local and foreign tech companies to thrive. The turning point for Taiwan's semiconductor industry came with the establishment of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company,

臺灣半導體產業的轉捩點是臺灣半導體制造股份有限公司（Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company）的成立。臺灣半導體工業的轉捩點是臺灣半導體制造股份有限公司的成立、

TSMC, in 1987. The creation of TSMC was initiated by the Taiwanese government and led by Morris

臺積電，1987 年。臺積電的創建由臺灣政府發起，並由 Morris

Chang, a seasoned semiconductor executive who had previously worked at Texas Instruments in the United States. Morris Chang was invited by the Taiwanese government to lead the country's efforts in building a semiconductor industry. Chang brought with him not only technical expertise, but also a vision for a new business model in the semiconductor industry – the pure-play-foundry model. Unlike traditional semiconductor companies that designed and manufactured their own chips,

Chang 是一位經驗豐富的半導體高管，曾在美國德州儀器公司工作。Morris Chang 應臺灣政府邀請，上司臺灣建立半導體產業。張先生不僅帶來了專業的技術知識，還帶來了對半導體行業新商業模式的構想，即純粹的代工廠模式。與傳統的半導體公司設計和製造自己的芯片不同，張忠謀在半導體行業中開創了一種新的商業模式、

TSMC would focus solely on the manufacturing aspect, producing chips for companies that specialized in design but lacked their own manufacturing capabilities. This foundry model proved to be a groundbreaking innovation as it allowed fabless companies – those that focused purely on chip design – to thrive without the heavy capital burden of building and maintaining expensive semiconductor fabrication plants. TSMC's pure-play model allowed it to attract a large number of clients, and it quickly became a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

臺積電只專注於製造環節，為那些擅長設計但缺乏自身製造能力的公司生產芯片。事實證明，這種代工模式是一項開創性的創新，因為它讓那些純粹專注於芯片設計的無晶圓廠公司得以蓬勃發展，而無需承擔建設和維護昂貴的半導體制造工廠的沉重資金負擔。臺積電的純粹模式使其能夠吸引大量客戶，並迅速成為全球半導體制造領域的領導者。

While TSMC became the most well-known name in Taiwan's semiconductor landscape, it was not the only player. Several other companies played a vital role in building the industry. One of them was United Microelectronics Corporation, UMC. The company was founded years before TSMC, in 1980. It was Taiwan's first semiconductor company.

雖然臺積電成為臺灣半導體領域最知名的公司，但它並不是唯一的參與者。其他幾家公司也在該行業的發展中發揮了重要作用。聯合微電子公司（UMC）就是其中之一。該公司成立於 1980 年，早於臺積電數年。它是臺灣第一家半導體公司。

It was originally a spinoff from ITRI, reflecting the government's strategy of fostering industry by building institutions that could nurture local talent. UMC initially focused on designing and manufacturing chips, but eventually followed a path similar to TSMC's by adopting the foundry model in the 1990s. Although UMC did not grow as large as TSMC, it remains one of the world's largest semiconductor foundries. Another important player in Taiwan's semiconductor landscape is Mediatek, founded in 1997. Mediatek is a fabless semiconductor company, meaning that it designs chips but outsources the manufacturing to companies like TSMC.

聯電最初是從工研院分拆出來的，反映了政府通過建立能夠培養在地人才的機構來促進產業發展的戰略。聯電最初專注於設計和製造芯片，但最終在 20 世紀 90 年代採用了與臺積電類似的代工模式。雖然聯電的發展規模不及臺積電，但仍是全球最大的半導體代工廠之一。臺灣半導體領域的另一個重要企業是成立於 1997 年的聯發科（Mediatek）。聯發科是一家無晶圓廠半導體公司，這意味著它設計芯片，但將製造外包給臺積電等公司。

Mediatek has become a major player in the mobile communications and consumer electronics industries, producing chips used in smartphones, tablets, and television. While it does not manufacture its chips, Mediatek's design expertise has made it one of the top fabless companies in the world, rivaling global players like Qualcomm. Lastly, another company is ASE Technology.

聯發科技已成為移動通信和消費電子行業的主要企業，生產用於智能手機、平板電腦和電視的芯片。雖然聯發科技並不生產芯片，但其專業的設計能力使其成為世界頂級無晶圓廠公司之一，可與高通公司等全球企業相媲美。最後，另一家公司是 ASE Technology。

Established in 1984, ASE Technology focuses on semiconductor packaging and testing services.

ASE Technology 成立於 1984 年，專注於半導體封裝和測試服務。

This company is a crucial part of Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain, handling the back-end processing of semiconductor manufacturing.

該公司是臺灣半導體供應鏈的重要組成部分，負責半導體制造的後端加工。

As semiconductors became more complex, the importance of packaging and testing grew, and ASE's specialization allowed it to become a global leader in this segment.

隨著半導體變得越來越複雜，封裝和測試的重要性與日俱增，ASE 的專業化使其成為該領域的全球領導者。

Prior to these companies' establishment, however, there were already a couple of American investors who had factories in Taiwan. This was also the basis of foreign investments in the country.

不過，在這些公司成立之前，已經有幾家美國投資者在臺灣設廠。這也是外商在臺灣投資的基礎。

In the 1960s and 1970s, US companies such as RCA, Texas Instruments, and General Instruments set up factories in Taiwan, primarily to take advantage of the island's cheap labor.

20 世紀 60 和 70 年代，RCA、德州儀器和通用儀器等美國公司在臺灣設廠，主要是為了利用臺灣的廉價勞動力。

These early investments helped establish Taiwan's electronics manufacturing capabilities.

這些早期投資幫助臺灣建立了電子製造能力。

Furthermore, many Taiwanese semiconductor companies were started or influenced by

此外，許多臺灣半導體公司都是由

Taiwanese engineers and executives who had worked in the United States. These individuals brought back not only technical expertise, but also business models and management practices that helped shape the growth of Taiwan's high-tech industries. The timing was perfect for Taiwan.

在美國工作過的臺灣工程師和管理人員。這些人不僅帶回了專業技術知識，還帶回了有助於臺灣高科技產業發展的商業模式和管理方法。對臺灣來說，時機恰到好處。

They had an early start to witness semiconductor companies and had American-trained Taiwanese engineers. So, by the late 1980s and early 1990s, Taiwan's semiconductor industry began to gain global recognition. TSMC quickly became the go-to foundry for fabless companies around the world, including prominent tech firms in the US and Europe. The company's willingness to invest in cutting-edge manufacturing technology, such as advanced lithography and process nodes, allowed it to stay ahead of competitors. By the early 2000s, Taiwan had firmly established itself as a global leader in semiconductors. The industry became a critical part of Taiwan's economy, contributing significantly to its GDP and providing thousands of high-paying jobs.

他們很早就開始見證半導體公司的發展，並擁有美國培訓的臺灣工程師。是以，到 20 世紀 80 年代末和 90 年代初，臺灣的半導體產業開始獲得全球認可。臺積電迅速成為全球無晶圓廠公司的首選代工廠，其中包括美國和歐洲的知名科技公司。該公司願意投資於尖端製造技術，如先進的光刻技術和工藝節點，這使其能夠領先於競爭對手。到本世紀初，臺灣已牢牢確立了自己在半導體領域的全球領先地位。該行業已成為臺灣經濟的重要組成部分，為其 GDP 做出了重大貢獻，並提供了數以千計的高薪工作崗位。

Taiwan's semiconductor companies also began expanding their operations globally, building manufacturing plants in other countries to meet rising demand. At the dawn of the 21st century, Taiwan was already a significant player in the global semiconductor market.

臺灣的半導體公司也開始向全球擴張，在其他國家建立製造工廠，以滿足日益增長的需求。21 世紀初，臺灣已成為全球半導體市場的重要參與者。

However, it was during this period that Taiwan's semiconductor industry truly began to dominate on a global scale. One of the most critical milestones in the 21st century was the development and mass production of advanced process nodes – semiconductors with increasingly smaller and more efficient transistors. TSMC, the leader of Taiwan's semiconductor industry, began producing 65nm chips in 2006, and by 2011 it had progressed to 28nm chips.

然而，正是在這一時期，臺灣的半導體產業才真正開始在全球範圍內佔據主導地位。21 世紀最重要的里程碑之一是先進工藝節點的開發和量產，即半導體尺寸越來越小、效率越來越高的半導體。臺灣半導體行業的領軍企業臺積電於 2006 年開始生產 65 納米芯片，到 2011 年已發展到 28 納米芯片。

TSMC has continuously been at the forefront of process technology innovation. They went on to pioneer the mass production of 7nm and 5nm chips, used in cutting-edge devices such as Apple's iPhones, NVIDIA's GPUs, and AMD's processors. One of the most complex processes in semiconductor manufacturing is the use of extreme ultraviolet, EUV, lithography to produce chips at 5nm and below. EUV lithography is a technology that allows manufacturers to etch incredibly small circuits onto silicon wafers, enabling the creation of the world's most advanced semiconductors.

臺積電一直走在製程技術創新的前沿。他們開創了 7 納米和 5 納米芯片的大規模生產，這些芯片被廣泛應用於蘋果公司的 iPhone、英偉達™（NVIDIA®）公司的 GPU 和 AMD 公司的處理器等尖端設備中。半導體制造中最複雜的工藝之一是使用極紫外線（EUV）光刻技術生產 5 納米及以下的芯片。EUV 光刻技術使製造商能夠在硅晶片上蝕刻出難以置信的微小電路，從而製造出世界上最先進的半導體。

TSMC was one of the first companies to invest heavily in EUV technology, giving it a significant edge over competitors like Samsung and Intel. Today, and as we noted at the beginning of the video, Taiwan accounts for more than 60% of the global semiconductor foundry market, making it the world's largest supplier of chips that power everything from smartphones to high performance computing systems. TSMC alone is the world's largest contract chipmaker.

臺積電是首批大力投資 EUV 技術的公司之一，使其在與三星和英特爾等競爭對手的競爭中佔據了重要優勢。如今，正如我們在視頻開頭提到的，臺灣佔據了全球半導體代工市場 60% 以上的份額，成為全球最大的芯片供應商，為從智能手機到高性能計算系統等各種產品提供動力。僅臺積電一家公司就是全球最大的合約芯片製造商。

TSMC controls more than 54% of the global foundry market, with its nearest competitor,

臺積電控制著全球晶圓代工市場 54% 以上的份額，與其最接近的競爭對手相差無幾、

Samsung, holding less than 18%. Taiwan's dominance is even more pronounced in the production of advanced semiconductors. Taiwan produces more than 90% of the world's most advanced chips, specifically those smaller than 10nm in size. These cutting-edge chips are critical for the latest technologies, including 5G networks, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, and high-performance computing.

三星，所佔比例不到 18%。臺灣在先進半導體生產領域的優勢更為明顯。世界上最先進的芯片，特別是尺寸小於 10 納米的芯片，90% 以上產自臺灣。這些尖端芯片對 5G 網絡、人工智能、自動駕駛汽車和高性能計算等最新技術至關重要。

TSMC is the only company in the world with the capability to mass-produce 5nm and 3nm chips, which are used in devices such as Apple's iPhones and Nvidia's GPUs.

臺積電是世界上唯一一家有能力大規模生產 5 納米和 3 納米芯片的公司，這些芯片用於蘋果 iPhone 和 Nvidia GPU 等設備。

How does TSMC stay at the top, and how do they advance so quickly against their competitors?

臺積電是如何保持領先地位的，又是如何在與競爭對手的競爭中快速前進的？

Well, one of the primary reasons TSMC has maintained its leadership position is its relentless focus on research and development, R&D. TSMC consistently invests billions of dollars each year into R&D to stay ahead in the fiercely competitive semiconductor industry. Moreover, TSMC is already planning its 2nm chip production for 2025, ensuring it remains at the forefront of semiconductor innovation.

臺積電之所以能保持領先地位，其中一個主要原因是它堅持不懈地專注於研發。臺積電每年持續投入數十億美元用於研發，以在競爭激烈的半導體行業中保持領先地位。此外，臺積電已計劃在 2025 年投產 2 納米芯片，以確保其始終處於半導體創新的最前沿。

By consistently leading in the development of new manufacturing processes,

始終引領新制造工藝的開發、

TSMC has set a technological barrier that few other companies can match.

臺積電已經建立起了其他公司難以企及的技術壁壘。

Due to TSMC's advancement in the semiconductor industry, the US and the rest of the world is now reliant on Taiwan. The US, in particular, is highly dependent on Taiwan for the semiconductors that drive its technology and defense sectors. Beyond the US, countries across Europe, Japan,

由於臺積電在半導體行業的進步，美國和世界其他國家現在都依賴臺灣。尤其是美國，其科技和國防領域的半導體產品高度依賴臺灣。

South Korea, and China are also heavily reliant on Taiwan for their semiconductor needs.

韓國和中國的半導體需求也嚴重依賴臺灣。

The global economy is deeply intertwined with Taiwan's semiconductor output, as chips produced in Taiwan are used in everything from consumer electronics to healthcare devices and industrial machinery. This is why, if there were a conflict between China and Taiwan, then the most immediate impact would be a massive disruption to the global semiconductor supply chain. A military conflict would likely cause semiconductor production in Taiwan to halt or slow down, leading to severe shortages in chips. The ripple effects of such a disruption would be felt worldwide. The automotive industry could face production shutdowns due to a lack of chips for critical systems like autonomous driving and electric vehicle components. The consumer electronics industry could see significant delays in the production of smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles.

全球經濟與臺灣的半導體產量密切相關，因為臺灣生產的芯片被廣泛應用於從消費電子產品到醫療保健設備和工業機械的各個領域。是以，如果中國大陸和臺灣發生衝突，最直接的影響就是全球半導體供應鏈的大規模中斷。軍事衝突很可能導致臺灣的半導體生產停止或放緩，從而導致芯片嚴重短缺。這種中斷的連鎖反應將波及全球。由於自動駕駛和電動汽車組件等關鍵系統缺乏芯片，汽車行業可能面臨停產。消費電子行業的智能手機、筆記本電腦和遊戲機的生產可能會出現重大延誤。

Moreover, cloud computing, data centers, and artificial intelligence services could experience slowdowns due to limited access to high-performance computing chips.

此外，由於獲得高性能計算芯片的途徑有限，雲計算、數據中心和人工智能服務可能會放緩。

This led to TSMC and many Taiwanese companies to relocate elsewhere. One of which is the US, where TSMC is building a $12 billion fab in Arizona, marking its first major expansion into the United States. TSMC is also investing in a new fab in Japan in collaboration with Sony, which will produce mature technology nodes for automotive and industrial applications.

這導致臺積電和許多臺灣公司遷往他處。其中之一就是美國，臺積電正在亞利桑那州建造一座價值 120 億美元的晶圓廠，這標誌著臺積電首次大規模進軍美國。臺積電還與索尼公司合作，在日本投資新建一座工廠，為汽車和工業應用生產成熟的技術節點。

So, as you can see, this is how Taiwan became the world's semiconductor hub.

由此可見，臺灣就是這樣成為世界半導體中心的。

But anyway, do let us know what you think. Thanks for watching.

無論如何，請告訴我們您的想法。感謝觀看。