On July 17, a delegation of faculty and students from the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology visited the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET) for in-depth exchanges on global technology policy, semiconductor strategy, and geostrategic issues. The two sides discussed U.S.-China tech competition, the restructuring of advanced and legacy semiconductor supply chains, and Taiwan’s critical role in regional technological and national security architecture.
DSET CEO Jeremy Chang emphasized that TSMC’s irreplaceable role in the global chip industry is rooted in Taiwan’s complete supply chain and engineering culture, which is an ecosystem that cannot be easily replicated elsewhere. “The key is not about removing Taiwan from the equation, but about how both sides can run faster together through real partnership,” he said.
Min-Yen Chiang, Deputy Director of DSET’s Economic Security Program, added that U.S.-Taiwan collaboration must look beyond flagship firms and focus on the broader industrial ecosystem. “Many small and mid-sized suppliers hold critical expertise and deep operational ties that subsidies alone cannot transfer. Only by understanding Taiwan’s ground-level realities can we grasp its true value in the global supply chain,” he said.
Professor Adam Stulberg, Director of Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, and Assistant Professor Dalton Lin noted that the visit aimed to explore industrial and societal resilience in East Asia amid geopolitical shifts. They emphasized that DSET’s focus on the intersection of technology and national security aligns closely with the program’s academic goals. Professor Lin further pointed out the structural tension between U.S. reindustrialization efforts and Taiwan’s friendshoring strategy, highlighting the importance of identifying a viable balance through continued U.S.-Taiwan policy dialogue.
DSET also introduced its ongoing international think tank partnerships and policy advocacy efforts across the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and highlighted its domestic and international research on drones, emerging technologies, and dual-use innovations. In response to student questions, DSET researchers explained how they use open-source data and industry interviews to investigate China’s hidden capital flows and how Taiwanese firms are adapting to global geopolitical shifts through strategic repositioning.
This exchange deepened Georgia Tech students’ understanding of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and policy landscape, while strengthening ties between DSET and the U.S. strategic and academic communities on issues of tech and national security.
DSET will host a public policy briefing on July 21 (Monday) to release the Economic Security Program’s latest reports, which analyzes China’s national semiconductor strategy and local government competition. Central Academy of Sciences Distinguished Research Fellow Professor Jieh-Min Wu and Wealth Magazine Deputy Editor-in-Chief Hung-Ta Lin will join as discussants to explore implications and strategies for Taiwan. The registration form is now closed. A press release will be published following the briefing. Stay tuned!
Latest Report
① “Let a Hundred Flowers Blossom: Local Competition and the Rise of Chinese Semiconductor Capacity” (coming soon)
② “The Great Siege: The PRC’s Comprehensive Strategy to Dominate Foundational Chips”
