In July 2023, former US President Donald Trump told Fox News that Taiwan had taken the semiconductor business away from the United States.
"The US follows the principle of 'America first,' so Taiwan could turn from a pawn to a victim at any moment," the spokesman told a briefing, commenting on Trump's statement.
Taiwan is one of the world's biggest suppliers of semiconductors, which are used in everything from the auto industry to military equipment. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the world's largest contract chip maker.
Taiwan has been governed independently of mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan — a territory with its own elected government — maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.