While the ongoing Chip War between the United States and China has seen plenty of negative outcomes for Chinese and US customers alike, the struggle is also contributing to a massive boost in Malaysia's semiconductor manufacturing, reports Financial Times.
Since United States regulations are pushing many semiconductor manufacturers away from China — especially high-end US tech companies that rely on that Chinese manufacturing power — they are being forced to look elsewhere on the globe for land and labor. Some of the manufacturers pouring into Penang, Malaysia are familiar faces, including the likes of Intel (which has been present in a Penang rice field since 1972 according to FT), Micron, and more. The turn in the market has reached the point where Malaysia now leads the world in US chip imports, as of February 2023.
