Global Semiconductor Industry Policies and Supply Chain Ecosystems
With global supply chain disruptions and rising geopolitical tensions reshaping markets, nations are aggressively rolling out incentive policies to develop local semiconductor industries. Their goals: achieve greater self-sufficiency, secure strategic resources, and boost global competitiveness. Seizing this moment, leading Taiwanese wafer foundries—such as TSMC, UMC, Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), and Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS)—are becoming key players in these national initiatives, strategically expanding their presence worldwide. This report offers a deep dive into preferential semiconductor policies across major regions, including the United States, European Union, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and India, along with a detailed breakdown of their supply chain ecosystems. It also provides a framework for evaluating how these countries assess manufacturing environments across six critical dimensions, helping industry leaders make informed decisions when planning overseas semiconductor investments.
1. Development of the Wafer Foundry Industry
1.1 Taiwan Accounts for 80% of the Top 10 Global Pure-Play Foundries in 2023
1.2 Divergence in Capacity Utilization Between 12- and 8-inch Wafer Fabs
2. Global Semiconductor Industry Policies
2.1 US CHIPS Act Boosts Domestic Semiconductor Production
2.2 China Fosters Semiconductor Growth through Domestic Demand
2.3 Japan Partners with US and Taiwan to Revitalize Its Semiconductor Industry
2.4 EU Provides Subsidies to Strengthen Local Manufacturing
3. Impact of Geopolitics on Taiwan's Wafer Foundries
3.1 Short-term Gains for Taiwanese Firms Amid US-China Tensions
3.2 Local Market Demand Worldwide Drives Taiwan's Overseas Expansion
3. Taiwanese Foundries’ Site Selection Assessment for Overseas Expansion
3.1 Geopolitical and Energy Concerns Fuel Taiwan's Overseas Expansion
3.2 Balancing Construction Costs with Political and Economic Considerations
3.2.1 Local Customer Support
3.2.2 Infrastructure Adequacy
3.2.3 Supply Chain Completeness
3.2.4 Local Government Policy Support
3.2.5 Talent Supply
3.2.6 Cost
3.3 The US, Japan, and the EU as Top Choices for Overseas Expansion
4. MIC Perspective
Appendix
List of Companies
List of Tables
Table 1: Top 10 Global Pure-Play Foundries, 2023
Table 2: Evaluation Criteria for Overseas Expansion Plans by Foundries
Table 3: Assessment of Local Customer Demand in Evaluated Countries
Table 4: Infrastructure Assessment of Evaluated Countries
Table 5: Evaluation of Semiconductor Policies by Country
Table 6: Facility Operating Cost Comparison by Country
Table 7: Comprehensive Evaluation of Overseas Manufacturing Sites
List of Figures
Figure 1: Major Taiwanese Wafer Foundries' Factory Distribution