NAGOYA, JAPAN — The beaten path to national security has typically involved developing lethal weapons, a skilled military, and the food and fuel needed to sustain a country.
With advanced technology increasingly charting the world’s future, Gov. Greg Abbott has focused on two areas of exploration — artificial intelligence and outer space — as core themes of his economic development trip to East Asia.
Working to entice business and political leaders in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan to invest in Texas, Abbott says AI and space exploration can lead to greater security and economic power.
“The role that Taiwan plays on the global stage is so incredibly important,” Abbott told Taiwan President Lai Ching-te during a Sunday meeting in Taipei. “Trade is an obvious one, semiconductors technology, innovation is another one, but what you do also is so important for world peace and for democracy across the globe.”
Taiwan faces a threat from China, which doesn’t recognize its independence and hasn’t ruled out using force to bring the island nation under Beijing’s control. South Korea is threatened by North Korea, where officials continue testing sophisticated weapon systems in hopes of boosting its nuclear deterrence. Japan may have to spend more on defense, particularly if former President Donald Trump is reelected and follows through on plans to rework various military alliances. In 2019, Trump asked Japan to quadruple the money it pays to station U.S. troops in the country to $8 billion. Japan did not comply.
On Wednesday, Abbott said mastering AI could lead to a robust defense against cyberwars and defense systems in space could affect military conflicts.
U.S. military officials are already on top of the issues, he said.
“This information I shared is public information from the United States Army, so it was not me creating this concept,” Abbott told The Dallas Morning News after arriving in Japan. “What we are creating is making sure that Texas is going to be at the center of what will be involved in shaping the future.”
Abbott has said countries in line for prosperity, security and a bigger role on the national stage are likely ones whose leaders pick the fruits of emerging technology, particularly manufacturing semiconductors and advanced chips.
“We have applications of artificial intelligence in Texas led by people like Elon Musk, who resides and works in Texas,” Abbott said in response to a question from a South Korean reporter about Samsung Electronics’ investment in Texas. “Now with what Samsung is going to be doing in Texas, we will continue to expand Texas’ lead in the field of artificial intelligence.”
Musk’s Space X launches advanced rockets from its facility across the bay from South Padre Island. Samsung is scheduled to launch operations this year on a $17 billion semiconductor plant in Taylor.
“It could be the economic future. It could be the military future,” Abbott said. “It could be a battle of different sorts, on another battlefield, where bullets are not being shot, but a battle in cyberspace, in outer space and all different types of arenas.”
Abbott told South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Tae-yul on Monday that his nation’s security would be aided by being on the winning side of the race to dominate the AI and space exploration industries.
“The winners of the AI race will be the winners of the world,” Abbott said. “That partnership between Korea and the other countries in this region will help determine the outcome.”
Cho agreed.
“We are now committed to playing a larger and bigger role,” he said. “Korea has come of age. We have to meet that level of expectation.”
Abbott hopes America can be in the pole position for futuristic conflicts involving advanced technologies and says partnerships with East Asian nations will help.
Taiwan, with a semiconductor industry critical to the world’s economy, is Texas’ seventh-largest trade partner, totaling $21.3 billion in 2023. It’s the world’s largest producer of semiconductors, providing more than 90% of advanced chips used in cell phones, aircraft, electric vehicles and AI.
Taiwan-based companies have been expanding into Texas for years. GlobiTech, a subsidiary of Taiwan-based GlobalWafer Co., is building a $5 billion silicon wafer plant in Sherman that is expected to create at least 1,500 new jobs. As an incentive to build, Texas provided a $15 million cash grant from its enterprise fund.
According to the World Population Review, the countries on Abbott’s East Asia business trip lead the world in semiconductor production in 2024. Taiwan ranks first, with South Korea second and Japan third. The United States is fourth; China is fifth.
Semiconductor manufacturing in the United States has been aided by companies like Samsung Electronics of South Korea building facilities in Texas cities, including Taylor.
The 2022 Chips and Science Act is causing American semiconductor production to soar, including in Texas, where the Legislature approved similar legislation.
As the home of Dallas-based Texas Instruments, the birthplace of the integrated circuit, Texas leads the nation with 15 existing or announced semiconductor plants and component manufacturing facilities, according to Abbott’s office.
Texas officials are thrilled that the Army Futures Command headquarters, established in 2018 to stay at the forefront of changing technology, is in Austin.
“Every 40 years the United States Army sets up a headquarters where they will establish a beachhead, where they’re going to design the future of warfare,” Abbott said. “These are the kinds of things they are working on in Austin, Texas.”
On Wednesday, the fourth full day of his Asia trip, Abbott toured the Toyota Museum and met Japanese business leaders to discuss Texas investments.
His trip continues Thursday with meetings in Tokyo and a reception sponsored by Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
