A regional daily has thrown down a front page challenge for government chiefs to join it in advancing a burgeoning new industry for its patch.

The South Wales Argus is calling on members of both the United Kingdom and Wales Governments to attend a summit about the future of compound semiconductors, which are produced in Newport.

The Newport-based Argus has publicly invited Secretary of State for Wales David Davies and the Welsh Economy Minister Vaughan Gething to “join us around the table and work on a vision and a plan to move forward” with the industry.

The newspaper’s campaign, on which it splashed on Wednesday (12), comes after the city’s freeport status bid was rejected last month.

In an accompanying editorial, editor Gavin Thompson wrote: “We understand the need to be able to exchange views frankly, and the key discussions at this proposed Silicon Summit will be behind closed doors at first to give all sides room to share ideas.

The compound semiconductor market is worth hundreds of billions of dollars globally.

“We want to see the Welsh Government and UK Government sit down with the leaders of Newport, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly Borough councils, the Western Gateway partnership and other key stakeholders to recognise the scale and urgency of this opportunity.

“We hope that, like us, they are all prepared to sit down and discuss how we can use this opportunity to ensure prosperity for Newport, South-East Wales and beyond.

“Newport has a proud history. It can have a proud future too.”