U.S. Commerce Dept. presses Taiwan for more chips to automakers

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is pictured at its headquarters, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Jan. 19, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department is pressing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd and other Taiwanese firms to prioritise the needs of U.S. automakers to ease chip shortages in the near term, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.

Raimondo told a Council of the Americas event on Tuesday that longer term, increased investment was needed to produce more semiconductors in the United States and that other critical supply chains needed re-shoring, including to allied countries.