TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Approximately 20% of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) employees have had children since being assigned to Arizona.

Over 1,000 engineers from Taiwan and their families have moved to the US since the Arizona plant held a ceremony in December 2022 for the first batch of semiconductor equipment. Reports surfaced by employees that TSMC wives had given birth to “American babies,” with hundreds born within two years.

TSMC has not disclosed the number of employees giving birth in the US. However, China Times reported that Taiwanese employees have given birth to over 200 American babies, with some families having a baby every year.

Liberty Times reported that local overseas Taiwanese communities said there is a growing number of TSMC employees giving birth in the US, with around 20 cases per month. Some TSMC wives have formed chat groups to share childbirth and childcare experiences and resources.

In 2022, BBC explored reasons TSMC engineers were willing to relocate their families. Three young engineers interviewed admitted their goal was to create a safety net for the next generation.

One engineer surnamed Lee (李) said he and his wife plan to have a child in the US during his three-year assignment to provide the next generation with the “insurance” of US citizenship. “Our child can choose to be educated in Taiwan or the US. If the Chinese Communist Party invades, he can return to the US, giving him options," he said.