Taiwan says chipmaker's move to invest $100 billion in the US wasn't because of US pressure

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Taiwan says chipmaker's move to invest $100 billion in the US wasn't because of US pressure

2025-03-06 22:50 Last Updated At：23:01

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan's president and top chipmaker TSMC held a joint news conference Thursday to defend the company's decision to invest $100 billion in the U.S., saying it stemmed from customer demand and not pressure from the Trump administration.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest chipmaker, said earlier this week it would invest $100 billion in three more chip manufacturing plants, along with two packaging facilities in Arizona.

The decision sparked concerns that Taiwan would gain little in return for moving some of its most advanced manufacturing processes to the U.S.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te denied that TSMC’s investment decision was due to political pressure by the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously said that Taiwan had taken away the U.S. chip business and that he wanted it back.

"TSMC's decision is necessary for its future development. The government did not face pressure from the United States during TSMC's investment process in the U.S.," said Lai on Thursday.

TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said that he had spoken with the firm's customers and realized that TSMC's current expansion plans in the U.S. were insufficient to meet current demand.

"Customer demand has been steadily increasing. For TSMC, our investment plans are based on customer needs, and we are very cautious," Wei said.

"The amount of investment in the U.S. may seem large, but it is still not enough to meet demand," he added.

He also said that the development plans in the U.S. would not affect TSMC's plans in Taiwan, and that the company currently had 10,000 employees researching and developing 1.0 nanometer chips.

While Taiwan is a self-ruled island, Beijing sees Taiwan as a renegade province to be taken back by force if necessary.

The U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but is its strongest backer and biggest arms provider.

But the continued support of the U.S. appears increasingly fragile under the Trump administration, who has contended that Taiwan relies too much on the U.S. and needs to spend more on defense. A Pentagon nominee earlier this week said Taiwan should be spending about 10% of its gross domestic product on defense to deter a war with China.

Taiwan's Lai last month pledged to increase defense spending to over 3% of its gross domestic product, up from less than 2.5%.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.