Robert Tsao
Tsao Hsing-cheng | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 24, 1947 Beijing, China |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, art collector, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) |
Tsao Hsing-cheng (; born 24 February 1947), also referred to as Robert, is a prominent Taiwanese billionaire entrepreneur and the founder of United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC). As of 2022, his estimated net worth stood at approximately US$2.7 billion.
Early life and education
Tsao was born in Beijing in 1947 and relocated with his family to Taiwan amid the Great Retreat, following his father's appointment as an educator involved in a Kuomintang Mandarin language initiative.
He completed his secondary education at Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School and obtained a bachelor's degree combining electrical engineering and business management from National Taiwan University in 1969. Subsequently, he earned a master's degree in management science from National Chiao Tung University in 1972.
Career
Following his academic pursuits, Tsao joined the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) before launching UMC in 1980.
In 1988, he traveled to Beijing where he had an audience with Jiang Zemin.
UMC ventured into the Chinese market in 2001 by founding Hejian Technology (Suzhou) Co. located in Jiangsu. This expansion led to legal issues in 2005 when Tsao faced charges under Taiwan's Business Entity Accounting Act; however, the Taiwan High Court acquitted him in 2010.
Tsao's perspective on China soured after the 2019 Yuen Long attack. He recounted a dinner conversation with a high-ranking Chinese official who proposed employing thugs alongside law enforcement to quell demonstrators. According to Tsao, this incident exposed the Chinese Communist Party's dependence on violent tactics against civilians. At that time residing in Hong Kong, he resolved never to return to China, Hong Kong, or Macau following the suppression of peaceful protests.
Art collection
Tsao is recognized as a seasoned art collector. His collecting journey began with jadeite pieces during the 1990s before broadening his interests to include ancient bronzes. After realizing some of his early jade acquisitions were counterfeit, he undertook thorough research to enhance the quality of his collection.
In 2000, Tsao acquired a glass vase from the Qianlong period for a record-breaking HK$24 million from collector Joseph Lau. He later sold this piece in 2019 for HK$180 million.
He has been a supporter of artist Zhu Dequn. The assemblage of his artworks is known as the Le Cong Tang collection.
Philanthropy
Following heightened tensions after the 2022 visit of the US Congressional Delegation to Taiwan and subsequent military maneuvers by China, Tsao committed US$100 million to bolster Taiwan's national defense, emphasizing the protection of "freedom, democracy, and human rights." Originally, the funds were intended to support training programs for a civilian militia and expert marksmen; however, Taiwan's stringent firearm regulations necessitated a change in approach. Consequently, the investment was redirected to the Kuma Academy, a civil defense organization that provides instruction in first aid, disaster preparedness, open-source intelligence gathering, and self-defense techniques. In October 2024, China's Taiwan Affairs Office imposed sanctions on Tsao and Puma Shen in response to their involvement with the academy.
Personal life
Tsao is the father of two sons who hold Taiwanese citizenship. In 2011, he relocated to Singapore and relinquished his Taiwanese citizenship. He subsequently gave up his Singaporean citizenship in 2022 and restored his Taiwanese nationality. Tsao practices Buddhism, drawing inspiration from Master Sheng-yen.