Vice chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company said that the decline of the semiconductor market will not be as dramatic as initially thought. F.C. Tseng also added that he saw a large opportunity for chips used in various replica devices that are mainly sold in the Southeast Asia.

According to Mr. Tseng, TSMC recently cut recession forecast for the global chip-making market to an annual rate of 20% this year from 30% as previously thought based on data from its customers, reports Taiwan Economic News. During a forum in Hsinchu, Taiwan, organized by the government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the vice chairman of TSMC said that a primary growth driver for his company was the recent surge of demand towards chips in China caused by the government stimulus package.

F.C. Tseng also noted that the market of replica electronics, e.g. cell phones that resemble Apple iPhone or popular models from Nokia, is becoming significant enough.

“India might become another market for such look-alike generics some day,” added vice chairman of the world’s largest contract maker of semiconductors.

Citing data from several studies, Tseng pointed out that American consumers spend an average of $250 on semiconductors per capita, compared with $20 per person in China and India, which means that the two emerging economies have huge room to grow.

Tags: TSMC, Semiconductor, Business