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

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437 points adventured | 6 comments | 15 May 21 00:49 UTC | HN request time: 0.376s | source | bottom
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MangoCoffee ◴[15 May 21 04:16 UTC] No.27162310[source]▶
its always interesting to read the comments on HN regarding China/Taiwan situation. Chinese invasion (Taiwan) threat is always there. It didn't stop when Nixon visit China and it didn't stop when American abandoned Taiwan to have a business relationship with China for more than 40 years.

the threat is so old now. there are some running jokes in Taiwan like "China threatening to invade Taiwan since my grandpa is alive then my father. I hope I get to see it before I die". a lot of Taiwanese already numb to the threat.

did South Korea stop everything whenever North Korea did a Nuke test?

American can throw ton of money into the semis industry like China big fund. maybe throw money at Intel, free money to companies like TSMC or Samsung to setup more fabs in the US or throw money at a home grown semis foundry?

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1. vkou ◴[15 May 21 04:22 UTC] No.27162344[source]▶
I am generally on the 'wrong' side of these conversations on HN, but...

> did South Korea stop everything whenever North Korea did a Nuke test?

I believe the two threats are not remotely equivalent. In a world of MAD, nuclear weapons are only a credible defensive deterrent, because offensive use of them is suicide. The US would start a nuclear war, in response to a North Korean first-strike.

Whereas with respect to China and Taiwan, nobody, including the US is going to start a nuclear war over that aggression, and nobody, including the US is going to start a conventional war against a major nuclear power.

If you have any doubts on this - consider that you are alive to read this post... Because the US did not start either a nuclear, or a conventional-with-good-possibility-of-turning-nuclear war over Russian adventures in Crimea.

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2. ◴[15 May 21 04:35 UTC] No.27162404[source]▶
3. staticman2 ◴[15 May 21 04:51 UTC] No.27162477[source]▶
In real life, people sometimes commit suicide in what's called "suicide by cop", they attack police so the police kill them.

The idea that we or China can't have a commander in chief who commits suicide by war, or otherwise behaves irresponsibly and takes the rest of us with them, strikes me as a tad optimistic.

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4. vkou ◴[15 May 21 04:52 UTC] No.27162486[source]▶
You could say the same for the US. What checks and balances are going to protect you from a mentally unstable, delusional president who lost an election months ago, is about to be removed from power, and just this morning decided to play a game of nuclear football?

What evidence do you have that similar checks do not exist in China?

It's also worth mentioning that any nuclear submarine commander in the UK can, at any time, order the launch of their submarine's ICBMs. They do not physically require any authentication from Westminster to launch. I'm assuming the same is the case for US, and Russian submarines.

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5. staticman2 ◴[15 May 21 05:01 UTC] No.27162544{3}[source]▶
You misunderstand me, I didn't say a U.S. president was less likely to kill us all.
6. baybal2 ◴[15 May 21 05:30 UTC] No.27162686[source]▶
> The US would start a nuclear war, in response to a North Korean first-strike.

US will possibly do a limited retaliation, but not a full scale war.

Norko is effectively China's 24th province. US generals are not onblivious to that fact.