Intel's chief says he flew to Taipei mainly to have lunch with TSMC founder Morris Chang — a friendly signal for TSMC and a sign Intel still needs it.

• Lip-Bu Tan says TSMC is a partner, not a competitor, even as Intel builds up its own contract chipmaking business.
• Intel will stay one of TSMC's ten biggest customers, and Tan praised its service to chip designers as world-class.
• He told Chang that without TSMC the chip industry would never have grown so big.
• Tan took over Intel last year and is the latest boss trying to turn it around after years of falling behind in advanced manufacturing.
• TSMC keeps gaining share and still dominates the business of making chips for other companies.

Outlook: Intel will keep leaning on TSMC to make its best chips while it tries to build a rival foundry, so the two stay customer and supplier for years yet.