Lisbon, Aug. 20, 2026 (Lusa) - The leader of the region in Taiwan where the world's largest semiconductor industry is located, concluded a visit to Portugal on Thursday, which included visits to start-up incubators and meetings with local councillors from the Lisbon and Setúbal regions.
The Governor of Hsinchu County, Yang Wenke, led a business delegation on a two-day visit to Portugal.
Known as Taiwan's ‘Silicon Valley', Hsinchu, on the island's west coast, is home to a scientific and industrial hub where the world's largest semiconductor companies are based, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which controls around 70% of the global chip market.
On Wednesday, the delegation visited the Unicorn Factory in Lisbon, where they were joined by Ana Gatini (Director of Innovation at Lisbon City Council), José Mota Leal (Director of the park), and José Inácio Faria (Member of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly).
In a statement, Yang Wen-ke noted that Hsinchu considered the Beato Innovation Park model, based on «prepayment of rents and private investment in regeneration», could serve as a benchmark for revitalising traditional industrial estates through public-private partnerships.
«In turn, Hsinchu shared its experience of developing industrial parks led by the Taiwanese government and the financial support mechanisms for applied research in local industries,» Yang said in a press release sent to Lusa.
Yang also highlighted the «value of institutional links and the potential for cooperation between cities», noting that, in the future, «Hsinchu could explore areas such as smart cities, industrial innovation, talent development, tourism, culture and youth entrepreneurship, to identify projects that could be developed in partnership with Portuguese cities».
«At Unicorn Factory Lisbon, we saw not just a space to host ‘start-ups', but a complete ecosystem that enables innovative companies to flourish. This is an example of particular value as a reference point and learning opportunity for Hsinchu County,» Yang said.
The delegation met with Taiwan's official representative in Portugal, Grace Chang, head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in Portugal, who emphasised Portugal's geostrategic role as a link between Europe, the Americas and Africa, as well as its recent significant investment in attracting talent and fostering the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Today, the Taiwanese representative took part in an event at Aroeira, attended by Rui Miguel Braga, Deputy Mayor of Barreiro, where urban, infrastructure and technology projects in Portugal incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) were presented.
During the event at the Aroeira Lisbon Hotel, Bobby O'Reilly, CEO of the property consultancy and construction firm UrHome Portugal, highlighted the importance of the visit and of international cooperation, emphasising that Portugal offers strategic conditions for investment.
«[The visit] is an opportunity to initiate practical discussions on investment, cultural exchange, education, tourism, technology and community development between Hsinchu and Portugal,» said the company's chief executive, who helped to coordinate the visit.
Bilateral trade between Taiwan and Portugal reached US$761 million (€647 million) in 2025, making Portugal Taiwan's 18th largest trading partner in Europe, according to data from the Taiwan Trade Administration.
In 2025, Taiwan's exports to Portugal totalled $564 million (€479.4 million) — a decrease of 8.69% compared with the previous year, with Portugal being the 14th largest export market in Europe.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's imports from Portugal declined by 5.74% to US$197 million (€167.5 million), making Portugal the 20th largest source of imports for Taiwan in Europe.
NCM/ADB // ADB.
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