On March 29, Dr. Jeremy Chih-Cheng Chang, CEO of DSET, along with the DSET team, was invited to participate in the international conference Inflection Point: AI, Economic Statecraft, & National Security, hosted by Harvard Law School. The event focused on the profound impact of artificial intelligence on law, economics, and geopolitics, bringing together policymakers—including former U.S. White House and Department of Commerce officials—along with academic representatives, legal experts, and industry leaders to discuss AI innovation, global governance, and national security.
The conference featured a keynote forum with former U.S. National Security Council (NSC) Technology Coordinator Tarun Chhabra and former U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce Nazak Nikakhtar, moderated by Professor Chris Miller, author of Chip War. Notably, on March 25, Miller visited Taiwan at the invitation of DSET to analyze the implications of a potential Trump 2.0 administration on U.S. semiconductor strategy and national security.
Dr. Chang participated in a panel discussion on Unilateral & Multilateral Approaches to AI Governance alongside Ruimin He, Chief AI Policy Officer of the Singaporean government; Kevin Wolf, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce; and Nikita Lalwani, former NSC Director for Technology and National Security. The panel explored global regulatory divergences, strategic implications of U.S. export controls, and AI supply chain security.
During the discussion, Dr. Chang highlighted Taiwan’s critical role as the world’s leading manufacturer of advanced semiconductor chips and its long-standing experience in technology and capital controls concerning China. He noted, “Taiwan implemented an outbound investment review mechanism three decades ago, adhering to an ‘n-1 or above’ principle to prevent the transfer of cutting-edge technologies to China.” He also analyzed Taiwan’s predominantly B2B industry structure, explaining that over the past decade, Taiwanese OEM manufacturers have considered China as a cost-effective manufacturing base under pressure from U.S. clients. Chang emphasized that Taiwan must maintain leadership in advanced process technology and R&D to secure its position in next-generation semiconductor development.
The panelists debated the pros and cons of unilateral versus multilateral export controls. Many participants agreed that international multilateral controls would be more effective in restricting China’s access to advanced foreign technologies, preventing Chinese firms from bypassing sanctions through non-U.S. components, and reinforcing a strategic competition framework rooted in diplomacy and value-based alliances. The discussion also addressed challenges in multilateral cooperation, such as governments’ reluctance to limit their domestic companies’ access to the Chinese market and the protracted nature of international negotiations. Additionally, enforcement measures require substantial evidence, and governments often prefer to mitigate risks rather than take decisive regulatory actions. Dr. Chang emphasized that although Taiwan is not a signatory to the Wassenaar Arrangement and similar international agreements, it voluntarily aligns with their standards, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining technological leadership and upholding democratic values as key national interests.
During the Q&A session, an attendee inquired about TSMC’s $100 billion investment plan in the United States. Dr. Chang responded by underscoring the deep interdependence between Taiwanese and American technology firms, highlighting how the trans-Pacific technology ecosystem enables Taiwan to expand its customer base and remain at the forefront of AI innovation. “Ultimately, TSMC will continue working closely with its most critical allies, which is a positive development for Taiwan’s national interests,” he stated. In closing, Chang also provided a recommendation for the U.S.: “We must jointly consider strategies, understand industry realities, and explore viable pathways forward.”
The conference was co-hosted by the Harvard Law and International Development Society, Harvard Law AI Student Association, Harvard Law & Technology Society, Harvard National Security Law Journal, Harvard Journal of Law and Technology, Harvard International Law Journal, the Oxford Semiconductor Conference, and the GeoTech Initiative.