Taiwan is partnering with three Eastern European countries to explore chip development opportunities.

Taiwan is home to the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, TSMC, as well as numerous other companies involved in the semiconductor supply chain.

Minister Kung Ming-hsin, head of Taiwan’s National Development Council, visited Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania, and told reporters that all three countries had said they wanted to work with Taiwan on chips.

Taiwan plans to set up working groups with the three countries to work out how to cooperate on chips, and will give scholarships for technical training.

“The whole semiconductor supply chain is enormous. Many countries can play different roles,” Kung said.

Earlier this year, TSMC said that it was evaluating expanding in the European Union, but had no concrete plans.

The EU has put forward an ambitious $2 trillion plan to recover from its Covid-19 economic decline. Among that is a $150 billion 'Digital Compass' initiative which, as one of its targets, has a goal to produce at least 20 percent of the world's semiconductors (by value) by 2030; up from 10 percent last year.