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Taiwan
authorities eased a restriction on local wafer foundries' investment in
China
on December 29, by allowing them to produce eight-inch wafers using 0.18
micrometer technology there. The decision was announced jointly by the Ministry
of Economic Affairs and the Mainland Affairs Council.
Minister of Economic Affairs
Steve Chen told a
news conference on the evening of December 29 that the 1996 Wassenaar
Arrangement -- which controls the international transfer of conventional arms
and dual-use goods and technologies -- downgraded in 2004 the restriction on
exports of semiconductor manufacturing technologies from producing wafers with
lines 0.35 micrometer wide to wafers with lines 0.18 micrometer wide.
The
United States
has thereby revised its list of technologies forbidden for export accordingly,
and no longer restricts the export of semiconductor manufacturing equipment for
wafers using 0.18 micrometer technology, Chen said.
Against this backdrop, the minister said forbidding
Taiwan
's foundries to produce wafers with 0.18 micrometer technology will only limit
their ability to compete against their foreign counterparts in
China
, but will not prevent
China
from getting this technology from elsewhere.
As a matter of fact, the minister said, half of Chinese semiconductor
products are using or designed with the 0.18 micrometer or 0.13 micrometer
process,
Taiwan
producers will hardly survive there without using technology that is on par
with their Chinese counterparts.
Noting that Taiwan already has 10 foundries turning out 10-inch wafers
with lines 90 nanometers to 65 nanometers
in width -- which is four generations ahead of the 0.18 micrometer technology --
Chen said the transfer of the 0.18 micrometer process will not threaten Taiwan's
global leadership in this industry.
Chen said this technology, after being transferred to
China
, can only be used in foundries operated and controlled by the
Taiwan
firms, and only with the Ministry of Economic Affairs' approval could these
Taiwan-controlled foundries cooperate with Chinese companies on non-essential
technology in the manufacture of wafers.
(Source: Central News Agency)
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