Documentary "Mountain Makers" Premieres in Kuala Lumpur, Showcasing Taiwan's Semiconductor Rise

The full-length documentary chronicling the development of Taiwan's semiconductor industry, *The Mountain Builders: A Century's Gamble*, made its official public premiere today (the 29th) at a screening held in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Produced by a local Taiwanese team over several years of interviews and editing, the work captures every critical milestone—from TSMC's difficult beginnings during its founding era to its gradual establishment as the world's leading foundry—through imagery and oral history. The screening drew local industry figures, representatives from academic institutions, and young technology enthusiasts, highlighting the high level of attention Malaysian society pays to the semiconductor sector.

The rise of Taiwan's semiconductor industry dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, when the government promoted policies centered on "science industrial parks" and "industrial innovation," attracting foreign capital and domestic talent into research and development. Established in 1987, TSMC broke the traditional vertical integration model of wafer manufacturing with its "pure-play foundry" business model, rapidly expanding its production capacity and technological leadership. To date, Taiwan's market share in global wafer foundries has exceeded sixty percent, and it remains the world's only supplier capable of mass-producing advanced nodes such as 5-nanometer and 3-nanometer chips. This industrial ecosystem has not only generated massive foreign exchange earnings for Taiwan but has also formed a labor- and technology-intensive high-tech cluster, becoming a vital link in the Asian and global supply chains.

In contrast, Malaysia's semiconductor industry focuses primarily on packaging, testing, and assembly. In recent years, the Malaysian government has actively advanced "digital economy" and "manufacturing upgrading" policies, attracting numerous international wafer foundry and packaging-and-testing firms to set up local operations. Boasting lower labor costs, a well-established logistics network, and regional cooperation advantages with other Southeast Asian nations, Malaysia has become an indispensable transit and processing hub within the global semiconductor supply chain. Although a distinct gap remains between Malaysia and Taiwan in advanced process research and development, the country has gradually built its own competitiveness in packaging and testing capacity and talent cultivation.

The core objective of this screening was to allow Malaysian industry professionals and the younger generation to visually experience the transformation of Taiwan's semiconductor sector from a "small workshop" to a "world factory" through visual storytelling. The Federation of Taiwan Chambers of Commerce in Malaysia stated that the film is not merely a record of technological history, but also a bridge for talent and technology exchanges between the two countries. Through the film screening and the subsequent panel discussion, both sides were able to explore concrete directions for talent training, R&D cooperation, and industrial upgrading, with the hope that more Taiwanese enterprises will establish R&D centers in Malaysia or jointly train engineers and technicians who meet international standards.

From a broader perspective, semiconductor cooperation between Taiwan and Malaysia is currently at a critical juncture amid the restructuring of regional supply chains. Global chip shortages and geopolitical shifts have made Southeast Asia a hotspot for emerging industrial deployments. If Taiwan's advanced manufacturing processes and Malaysia's packaging and testing capabilities can form a complementary partnership, it will not only help enhance regional self-sufficiency but also reduce the risk of over-reliance on a single market. Strengthening interaction in R&D funding, talent mobility, and policy coordination in the future will inject more sustainable growth momentum into both economies.

In summary, the Kuala Lumpur screening of *The Mountain Builders: A Century's Gamble* symbolizes the transnational dissemination of Taiwan's semiconductor spirit while providing a practical example of learning and cooperation for Malaysia's industrial sector. As interactions between the two nations in technology and talent become increasingly frequent, it is anticipated that in the near future, more innovative products based on Taiwan's advanced technology and combined with Malaysia's manufacturing strengths will emerge, further consolidating Southeast Asia's strategic position in the global semiconductor supply chain. (Source: Central News Agency)