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TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

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Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#631

Those thinking China vs Taiwan is like Russia vs Ukraine is greatly mistaken. The Chinese army after decades of build up is way stronger than Russia's, the enire PLA navy and airforce are built for a war with Taiwan. Ukraine still has Europe, Taiwan only has Japan, and has no border to any other countries. If the US wants to intervene, it must throw in its full weight, like the entire pacific fleet and some more, oth…

entire fleet as in 7? that would be a lot of ships

edit: ahh pacific

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#632

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The idea that the US protects Taiwan from a possible Chinese invasion over chips is one of those things that sounds believable but really isn't going to happen. >From China’s perspective, the cost of war is much higher than the cost of developing these chips themselves. You've got it completely backwards. China doesn't want Taiwan because it has the best chip manufacturing in the world. Taiwan has the best chip manu…

> world because China wants to invade them and they wanted to give the US a reason to defend them and China a reason not to Reverse logic much? If wanting the best electronics know how was just enough to get it, every country would have a TSMC like by now

It's the reason why they did it, not the reason why they succeeded.

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#633

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is hard to drill this in the mind of people who grew up under stable governments, but dictators have this terrible habit of sacrificing prosperity to gain control (often sacrificing the former without gaining the later). Being a dictator and surrounded by yes-man, they also tend to act less rationally and less predictably than your average democratic leader. History is full of kings who started terrible wars and g…

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Even rational actors may make bad decisions if they are badly informed, and given how risky it usually is to bring bad news to the emperor, chances are that Xi is fed with data that is a bit rosier than it should.

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#634

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just not true. Average monthly wage: https://www.statista.com/statistics/319845/taiwan-average-mo... 2000 - 42k NTD 2023 - 58k NTD Converted to USD: https://www.poundsterlinglive.com/bank-of-england-spot/histo... https://www.poundsterlinglive.com/bank-of-england-spot/histo... 2000 - 1270 USD 2023 - 1870 USD

Only 50% increase? Thats very bad

Well now were shifting the goalpost. That's not stagnation.

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#635
post #473

Trump involuntarily did more for Taiwan / mainland unification in one meeting with Zelensky than in all the years prior. Taiwanese now understand that they can't trust US to step up to their security commitments. If US won't do it for Europeans being savagely attacked by aggressive neighbors, they won't do it for Taiwanese being blockaded by mainland. At that point Taiwan tariffs and China tariffs will be the same. T…

The difference is that China is on Trump's enemy list, whereas he considers Russia's oligarchs to be potential business partners for his own oligarchy. Trump wants trade barriers to China but wants those with Russia to be removed.

> China is on Trump's enemy list

I hear that a lot, but is it true? I don't see signs that this Admin is doing anything to prepare for a confrontation with the PRC; rather, signs of the contrary: TikTok ban reversed, conciliatory tone towards Xi, talk about a 50% reduction in defense spending, even nuclear disarmament, not to mention the mess DOGE is doing at the DoD. And Musk has significant exposure in China.

Of course, I'll be glad to stand corrected if I missed something.

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#636
post #514

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because "defending democracy" is propaganda for the common people. It's always economics. The US/Europe will support or even install a dictator if the government is pro-western.

Yep, spreading democracy and freedom is PR. I think there's a historical preference to installing or supporting a dictator rather than a messy democracy. There's several cases where democratic elections delivered a government the US didn't agree with, so they orchestrated regime change.

Exactly. Even in Ukraine, Yanukovych was democratically elected [1] and US was potentially involved in overthrowing him [2]

[1] https://www.oscepa.org/en/news-a-media/press-releases/press-...

[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26079957

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#637

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trump's extreme unpredictability might actually be a advantage in this scenario.

I'm struggling to think of a time when his erratic behaviour has paid off in the geopolitical arena.

A smart friend suggested it triggers most rational leaders to be extra-cautious and may have a net-zero or even favourable impact on global politcs. We will see...

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#638
post #314

The idea that the US protects Taiwan from a possible Chinese invasion over chips is one of those things that sounds believable but really isn't going to happen. From China’s perspective, the cost of war is much higher than the cost of developing these chips themselves. In the worst-case scenario, they would be 2-3 years behind the cutting edge, which is not mission-critical. Most electronics (civilian or military) do…

With the recent oval office meeting yeah... I am skeptical too now it sucks.

Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#639
post #628

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China doesn't want Taiwan for TSMC. They want Taiwan because they see them as a rebellious province. In their mind, the Chinese civil war never ended and that island is the last bastion of the Kuomintang. One way I've heard it described in a way that is easier for Americans to understand is; Imagine at the end of the American Civil War, a confederate army retreated to an island like Cuba or Hawaii, they took it over…

This to me is the correct answer. A lot of times in war it's not about logic or reason, it's about emotion and feeling. Throughout Chinese history, a leader is only "legitimate" or dare I say, have the Mandate from Heaven, when they have unified the country under one banner. It is a stain on their authority that there is "rouge" state outside the CCP's control. They will do anything to unify their country for nationa…

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Re: TSMC expected to announce $100B investment in U.S.

#640
post #628

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China doesn't want Taiwan for TSMC. They want Taiwan because they see them as a rebellious province. In their mind, the Chinese civil war never ended and that island is the last bastion of the Kuomintang. One way I've heard it described in a way that is easier for Americans to understand is; Imagine at the end of the American Civil War, a confederate army retreated to an island like Cuba or Hawaii, they took it over…

This to me is the correct answer. A lot of times in war it's not about logic or reason, it's about emotion and feeling. Throughout Chinese history, a leader is only "legitimate" or dare I say, have the Mandate from Heaven, when they have unified the country under one banner. It is a stain on their authority that there is "rouge" state outside the CCP's control. They will do anything to unify their country for nationa…

"rouge" means red

"rogue" means rascal

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