TSMC to Build Advanced Semiconductor Factory in Arizona

Re:TSMC to Build Advanced Semiconductor Factory in Arizona by catalogia on Thursday May 14, 2020 @07:36PM (#23187075)

If the American government believed that TSMC facilities in America would meet America's demand for silicon, then wouldn't America lose that incentive to ensure Taiwan wasn't steamrolled by China? Supposing such a war did take place, TSMC might be unable to continue operating in Taiwan but still able to operate in some capacity in America. Would TSMC scrap the fabs in America just to spite the American government for the betrayal of Taiwan? That doesn't seem likely to me.

I don't doubt that the Taiwanese president is smart, which is why I doubt this story.

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Re:TSMC to Build Advanced Semiconductor Factory in Arizona by transpute on Thursday May 14, 2020 @08:18PM (#23187418)

> wouldn't America lose that incentive to ensure Taiwan wasn't steamrolled by China

No, the opposite. Real trade enables balanced long-term interdependency, growth and innovation, unlike "free" trade focused on extraction and asymmetrical flows. The most valuable assets brought to the table by Taiwan and the USA are culture and these are complementary in the long term.

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Re:TSMC to Build Advanced Semiconductor Factory in Arizona by kick on Thursday May 14, 2020 @08:21PM (#23187448)

Because the US is so famously focused on the long-term and would totally protect a country from getting wiped out because of "shared culture."

Taiwan needs all the leverage it can get, and giving the US the gift of no longer needing it would be the dumbest thing TSMC could do in the long and short term.

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Re:TSMC to Build Advanced Semiconductor Factory in Arizona by transpute on Thursday May 14, 2020 @08:22PM (#23187463)

Not shared culture, complementary culture.

A real partnership can create more leverage, not less, instead of holding one card until it is overtaken by events.

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