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TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

reuters.com

81–90 of 511 posts

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#81
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has been done in the past, Taiwan is a special topic for the US, I don't know that they would let it get to that point without intervening either diplomatically or militarily.

Right, I'm just thinking that long-term military intervention to prevent capture/annexation of Taiwan is completely impossible, but short-term intervention meant to extract as many Taiwanese as possible prior to inevitable capitulation is very much an option.

Long term military intervention to prevent capture is completely possible if we're willing to pay the price. Weather and geography alone would make an amphibious invasion quite difficult.

But China could easily wreck Taiwan's infrastructure and industry without invading.

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#82
post #50
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US should invite Taiwan to become the 50-nth state. Perhaps several states, to give them more Senate votes. Numerous polls of the Taiwanese show that they would want to join the US if given the choice between independent statehood, joining the mainland, and joining the US. Plus, the US gets a nice permanent military base and gets to monitor all future Chinese submarine activity. If China attacks a US state, it wo…

The day this is even seriously proposed, China invades Taiwan. And anyway, the vast majority of Americans wouldn't see and attack of a Taiwanese US state as a Pearl Harbor because its non sensical. Taiwan has 100 million people. Theres no way that population transfers to create the bonds necessary to make Taiwan “American” could occur. Hawaii had been a US colony for 50 years and mainland Americans had moved in displ…

My guess is that as time goes on Taiwan will see itself more and more as Taiwanese than Chinese. Much in the same way that many French-speaking Canadians do not see themselves as necessarily French.

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#83
post #50
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US should invite Taiwan to become the 50-nth state. Perhaps several states, to give them more Senate votes. Numerous polls of the Taiwanese show that they would want to join the US if given the choice between independent statehood, joining the mainland, and joining the US. Plus, the US gets a nice permanent military base and gets to monitor all future Chinese submarine activity. If China attacks a US state, it wo…

The day this is even seriously proposed, China invades Taiwan. And anyway, the vast majority of Americans wouldn't see and attack of a Taiwanese US state as a Pearl Harbor because its non sensical. Taiwan has 100 million people. Theres no way that population transfers to create the bonds necessary to make Taiwan “American” could occur. Hawaii had been a US colony for 50 years and mainland Americans had moved in displ…

[deleted]

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#84

The USA is also willing to defend Taiwan and currently the US has carrier groups in the south China sea. This suggests that the idea of building chips in the US may be a diplomatic courtesy and arguably an incentive.

Currently, no carrier group is in the South China Sea [1] [1] https://news.usni.org/category/fleet-tracker

Thank you for the correction, however, twentyfour days ago there were: https://news.usni.org/2021/04/09/u-s-carrier-strike-group-am...

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#85
post #28

I've been thinking about what would happen if there's an actual military crisis between China and Taiwan. I wonder if the United States would allow (and aid with) unlimited immigration from Taiwan for educated specialists, in an attempt to capture/retain as much skills and knowledge as possible.

Legitimate question, is the UK actually allowing and if so is there significant migration out of Hong Kong? They said they would but reality is probably different. I would sure hope so with Taiwan we allow that, but I personally believe if we get to that point we've already lost and the world will look very very different. Unless we're talking about precautionary evacuations and even still doesn't send a lot of confi…

Thousands have applied and been granted the visa. But I don’t think there’s been a significant migration out of Hong Kong yet - presumably most people are holding it as a last resort/escape route if things deteriorate.

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#86

I’m dismayed that Australia isn’t doing more to foster local fabs.

Australia is a relatively small market located far from global supply chains with relatively high energy, capital and labour costs. I think we need to be selective about which industries we promote, especially if the industry will only be viable with large government subsidies.

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#87

I’m dismayed that Australia isn’t doing more to foster local fabs.

Their massive import/export taxes on anything related to technology basically kills any of those types of ideas, unfortunately.

Australia has some of the lowest import / export tariffs in the world. I.E. they’re generally zero or close to.

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#88
post #28

I've been thinking about what would happen if there's an actual military crisis between China and Taiwan. I wonder if the United States would allow (and aid with) unlimited immigration from Taiwan for educated specialists, in an attempt to capture/retain as much skills and knowledge as possible.

In the event of a full-blown war the United States could just take possession and control of all foreign-owned fabs in the US.

In this age of cloud there is no way they will operate after losing contact with the mothership.

TSMC will not allow them to be built any other way.

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#89
post #56
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US should invite Taiwan to become the 50-nth state. Perhaps several states, to give them more Senate votes. Numerous polls of the Taiwanese show that they would want to join the US if given the choice between independent statehood, joining the mainland, and joining the US. Plus, the US gets a nice permanent military base and gets to monitor all future Chinese submarine activity. If China attacks a US state, it wo…

I don't know, that just raises the stakes so that losing would be much more embarrassing (as if that's the most important thing in geopolitics). I mean, imagine the scenario where Taiwan becomes a U.S. state and then China invades and takes it anyways. And suppose the U.S. can't take it back without all-out (possibly nuclear) war, so they back down and let China have it. That's a possible outcome that would have to b…

Suppose china invades Taiwan. Then what? They become a pariah state and lose all of their international trading partners for things like oil. Something like 50% of Chinese agriculture is dependent on foreign oil inputs...

Re: TSMC looks to double down on U.S. chip factories as talks in Europe falter

#90
post #58

The USA is also willing to defend Taiwan and currently the US has carrier groups in the south China sea. This suggests that the idea of building chips in the US may be a diplomatic courtesy and arguably an incentive.

It is a request from the U.S. https://www.reuters.com/technology/chipmaker-tsmc-eyeing-exp...

Regardless of who made the request the reasoning still makes sense. Both the US and TSMC want this outcome the obvious quid pro quo helps.
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