Ah. So what they did at the Penang site was bonding, testing and packaging? (Not sure I'm using the correct terminology.)
That makes more sense now that I think of it. Can't imagine there was a steady supply of electricity there back in the early 70s. (Got any source though?)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_manufacturing_...
No non-PRC company is fearless enough to build a new fab in the PRC with anything that aren’t comfortable with being copied by mainland companies.