Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said Taiwan should pay the U.S. for its defense as it does not give the country anything, sending shares of Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC lower on Wednesday.
"I know the people very well, respect them greatly. They did take about 100% of our chip business. I think, Taiwan should pay us for defense," Trump told an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek on June 25 that was published on Tuesday.
"You know, we're no different than an insurance company. Taiwan doesn't give us anything."
The United States is Taiwan's most important international supporter and arms supplier, but they have no formal defense agreement, unlike what Washington has with South Korea and Japan. The U.S. is, however, bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
Taiwan's administration has made defense modernization a priority, including developing its own submarines, and has said many times the island's security rests in its own hands.
Taiwan's top official Cho Jung-tai, responding to Trump's comments, said Taiwan and the U.S. have good relations despite the lack of formal ties, and is dedicated to bolstering its own defenses.
"Taiwan has steadily strengthened its defense budget and demonstrated its responsibility to the international community," he told reporters in Taipei.
"We are willing to take on more responsibility; we are defending ourselves and ensuring our security."
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has complained of repeated Chinese military activity over the past four years as Beijing seeks to pressure the island, which rejects China's sovereignty claims.
U.S. President Joe Biden has upset the Chinese government with comments that appeared to suggest the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it were attacked, a deviation from a long-held U.S. position of "strategic ambiguity."
Washington and Taipei have had no official diplomatic or military relationship since 1979, when the U.S. switched recognition to Beijing and terminated a mutual defense treaty.
TSMC is the dominant maker of advanced chips used in everything from AI applications to smartphones and fighter jets, and analysts believe any conflict over Taiwan would decimate the world economy.
There was no immediate reaction from TSMC, which is currently in a quiet period ahead of its second quarter earnings report on Thursday.
Shares in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker and a major Apple and Nvidia supplier, closed down 2.4% on Wednesday. The broader market ended down 1%.
"Trump's comments were plainly blunt. We see it as political rhetoric," said Allen Huang, a vice president at Mega International Investment Service. "TSMC is an excellent company, and it has won out in the market over many rival companies in the United States."
TSMC is spending billions building new factories overseas, including $65 billion on three plants in the U.S. state of Arizona, though it says most manufacturing will remain in Taiwan.
Taiwan also has a backlog worth some $19 billion of arms deliveries from the United States, which U.S. officials and politicians have repeatedly pledged to speed up.
Since 2022, Taiwan has complained of delays in deliveries of U.S. weapons, such as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, as manufacturers focused on supplying Ukraine to help it battle invading Russian forces.
In April, the U.S. Congress passed a sweeping foreign aid package that includes arms support for the island after House Republican leaders abruptly switched course and allowed a vote on the $95 billion in mostly military aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and U.S. partners in the Indo-Pacific.
China held two days of war games around the island shortly after leader Lai Ching-te took office in May, saying it was "punishment" for his inauguration speech, which Beijing denounced as being full of separatist content.
China has also been allegedly using "gray zone" warfare against Taiwan, wielding tactics to exhaust a foe by keeping them continually on alert without resorting to open combat. This includes sending balloons over the island and almost daily air force missions into the skies near Taiwan.
Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai, who says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future, has repeatedly offered talks but has been rebuffed.
