Taiwan promotes chip diplomacy as allies old and new mingle at major trade show

TAIPEI: As leading global semiconductor companies gathered in Taipei this week for the Semicon trade show to discuss the AI boom, one area got a much more prominent role than before: Taiwan’s use of its dominance of the chip industry to promote diplomatic aims.

Taiwan, home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker TSMC, has long been the global industry leader, but it is diplomatically isolated owing to China’s sovereignty claims that prevent most countries forging formal ties with Taipei.