Corporate espionage and tariff pressures deal dual blows to TSMC, adding to fears about vulnerability of Taiwan and its most prized company.

TSMC dominates the market for the manufacturing of the most advanced chips on the planet and counts major firms like Apple and Nvidia as clients.

Corporate espionage and tariff pressures deal dual blows to TSMC, adding to fears about vulnerability of Taiwan and its most prized company.

There had been hopes TSMC's plan to invest an additional $100 billion in the United States would shield Taiwan from new tariffs.

Taiwan’s export-reliant economy under pressure as Trump threatens 100 per cent tariffs on semiconductors – unless firms build in the US.

The chip-gear maker and its peers have regularly been targeted for their intellectual property by entities with ties to China.

The Japanese company is struggling to address the potential fallout with one of its most important customers and with governments in Tokyo and Taipei.