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

(www.reuters.com)
437 points adventured | 1 comments | 15 May 21 00:49 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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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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jollybean ◴[15 May 21 04:52 UTC] No.27162485[source]▶
China is more able and likely to 'take over Taiwan' since probably any point in history. It's a stated strategic objective and there's no reason to think it won't happen.
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magicsmoke ◴[15 May 21 05:18 UTC] No.27162627[source]▶
The chilling implication behind some Taiwanese downplaying the threat is that they think it'll be relatively bloodless. That is, they plan to surrender once China feels comfortable enough about its naval balance against the US to pull the trigger. Taiwan under new management doesn't affect their retirement. The king is dead, long live the king. After all, its their lives they'll be needlessly throwing away if America doesn't come through with an overwhelming navy.
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1. Apocryphon ◴[15 May 21 07:22 UTC] No.27163187[source]▶
Most of Europe doesn't have the will to defend themselves even in invasion, either:

https://brilliantmaps.com/europe-fight-war/

But that's how it is since the end of WWII. Major nations, or at least wealthy ones, don't go to open war with each other anymore. American hegemony and the NATO alliance structure, as well as the nuclear umbrella, has sapped the will to fight from most of the developed world, outside of brushfire conflicts. Taiwan is not a major nation, but it was an economic power, and at least has very comfortable first world living conditions. In such a situation, why would the population want to throw it all away?

Though on the other hand, why would the PRC, with its burgeoning middle classes and its coastal opulence, want to do something as destabilizing as to declare war, unprovoked? At the very least they'd face sanctions and diplomatic disapproval. The military build-up is concerning and should be taken seriously. But those who would assume that China would just cavalierly declare war in the near future should consider how much China would lose in the bargain.