Ex-TSMC co-COO says Intel was once the 'king' of the chip industry, but has become a 'nobody'

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The former co-chief operating officer (co-COO) of TSMC, Chiang Shang-yi, has had some fighting words against US chipmaker Intel... and how much he looks down on the company.

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Chiang has a position of authority as he worked at TSMC until 2013, and even when he left, he was one of the company's core team members who helped cement the Taiwanese company to become a global contract chip manufacturing leader. Chiang recently attended a book launch in Taiwan this week, meeting with the dean of Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University, and boy he didn't hold back any punches towards Intel.

TSMC's former executive said Intel should get more into mature chip manufacturing processes -- and not bleeding-edge process nodes -- as Intel was too far away from catching up with TSMC. He also added that Intel was the former "king" of the chip industry, but was still a "nobody".

Shangyi suggested that Intel simply give up on seeing help from TSMC, and "instead acquire a mature process plant where it would have a better chance of winning". He added: "TSMC has advantages that its peers do not have, and it will be difficult to catch up".

• Read more: Intel's new CEO to refocus on chip design, major customers for its fab business
• Read more: Intel's new Arizona fab testing 18A wafers, major milestone for Made in America

Pat Gelsinger was thrown out as CEO of Intel last year, but we did write a story that he ran his mouth regarding Taiwan and China, costing Intel a purported 40% discount from TSMC at the time. You can read more about that here.