Following reports that TSMC may build its most advanced plant yet in the United States, the company's chairman Morris Chang recently said that such a factory is possible, but it "may not necessarily be a good thing." Today, TSMC's spokesperson Michael Kramer also commented on the subject, saying that they won't make a decision until next year.

TSMC is considering a $16.41 billion investment in the plant, but one of the reasons why the decision will come sometime in 2018 is because the company is interested in the Toshiba unit and is looking at investing in Toshiba Corp's chip business.

"We would sacrifice some benefits if we move to the States. But we have flexibility in Taiwan. If an earthquake happened [in Taiwan] for instance, we could send thousands of people here as support, whereas it's harder in the States," Kramer also told Reuters.