MEXICO CITY: The United States, Mexico and Canada will take steps to strengthen North America’s semiconductor industry, the White House said on Tuesday (Jan 10), as the countries try to resolve a dispute over Mexico’s energy policy that has angered investors.
In a statement before a meeting of North American leaders in Mexico City, the White House said the countries would in early 2023 organise a semiconductor forum to increase investment in the strategic hi-tech industry.
This, the statement said, would mean coordinating semiconductor supply chain mapping to identify needs and investment opportunities in making chips that are used in everything from telecoms, to carmaking and defence.
The three governments would also increase cooperation to root out drug smuggling and improve legal pathways for migrants, the White House said, as US President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepared for talks.
The semiconductor industry has long been dominated by Asia, and disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc among North American supply chains.
Mexico’s hopes of benefiting from the push to boost semiconductor output have been undermined by the energy dispute, with Washington and Ottawa starting formal dispute settlement proceedings against Mexico’s policies in July.
The spat, which centres on Mexico’s efforts to give priority to its cash-strapped energy companies at the expense of private investors, is being closely watched at the summit. – Reuters
