Taiwan Minister Expresses Confidence in TSMC Amid US Patent Lawsuit

(Central News Agency, reporter Xie Yixuan, Taipei, 12th) According to foreign media reports, TSMC has become embroiled in a US patent infringement lawsuit. Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs, Kung Ming-hsin, emphasized today that the Ministry has great confidence in Taiwanese companies' adherence to patent regulations, and after communicating with TSMC, "we are even more confident."

The Ministry of Economic Affairs held the first meeting of the 115th session of the Economic and Industrial Development Advisory Committee today, chaired by Minister Kung Ming-hsin, with Hsu Sheng-hsiung, Honorary Chairman of the Chinese National Federation of Industries, and Liu Yang-wei, Chairman of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association, serving as co-conveners.

Regarding the news yesterday that TSMC, the world's leading wafer foundry, was involved in a US patent infringement lawsuit, Kung Ming-hsin stated after the meeting that the Ministry had contacted TSMC. TSMC's response was that since the matter is in litigation, it is not appropriate to comment on individual cases. However, Kung emphasized that the Ministry has great confidence in Taiwanese companies' compliance with patent regulations, and after communicating with TSMC, "we are even more confident."

Information exclusively obtained by US media outlet Axios indicates that Republican Representative Ryan Zinke, Senators Tim Sheehy, Roger Marshall, and Bernie Moreno, in a letter dated May 22, told ITC Chair Amy Karpel that the commission should ban the import of foreign-made chips found to infringe US patents. An administrative law judge is expected to issue an initial ruling this month, and the commission could make a final decision in October.

Following the foreign media reports yesterday, the Ministry of Economic Affairs immediately issued a statement emphasizing that Taiwan's semiconductor industry has long valued intellectual property rights and operates in full compliance with the law at all major global business locations. The statement added that this case is a patent dispute between companies and is currently under review as part of US legal procedures, and the government respects these procedures.