Chunghwa Telecom Co., Taiwan’s largest telecommunications provider, has established a formal subsidiary in Malaysia through its Singapore unit, seeking to capitalize on a wave of Taiwanese manufacturers setting up operations in Southeast Asia.
The new entity, Chunghwa Telecom Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., was officially launched in Kuala Lumpur on December 1, the company said. Chairman Chien Chih-cheng cited the firm’s philosophy of following Taiwanese businesses wherever they expand, noting more than 15 years of operations across the ASEAN region.
The move comes as Malaysia positions itself as a semiconductor hub under its National Industrial Master Plan 2030. The country already handles about 13% of global backend semiconductor operations and has attracted major investments from Intel, Texas Instruments, and Infineon. Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Johor Bahru have emerged as key destinations for Taiwanese tech firms diversifying their manufacturing footprint.
Chunghwa had operated a representative office in Malaysia for three years before upgrading to a full subsidiary with business licensing. The company said demand from clients accelerated as artificial intelligence investments drove industrial expansion across the region.
For Chunghwa, the expansion fits a broader international push. The company’s US subsidiary posted 70% revenue growth in the third quarter, driven by AI supply chain projects. Still, establishing meaningful scale in a competitive Malaysian market—where global telecommunications players already operate—remains an open question.
