> Cynically, this narrative was possibly promoted by the USG/Taiwan-lobby to put lipstick on what has always been a naked display of power politics. I also sus

> Cynically, this narrative was possibly promoted by the USG/Taiwan-lobby to put lipstick on what has always been a naked display of power politics. I also suspect this narrative is at the very least supported if not conceived by Taiwan as propaganda. But we don't need to be cynical. What this narrative does is establish in the minds of Americans a shared interest in Taiwan and, arguably, even a shared identity. That's not intrinsically bad, malicious, nor even disingenuous on the part of the Taiwanese. Especially for a country as large and resource rich (in every meaning of the term) as the United States, all overseas interests and identities are built principally on fictions; some built very deliberately, but many which grew organically. IMO, the high technology dependency narrative fits comfortably between pure ideology (democratic solidarity!) and pure real politick, e.g. oil. Unlike the case with oil interests, the narrative speaks to a coevolution of our industrial and economic bases on equal terms in tandem with political ideology, and thus posits a shared future. And given how quickly and easily the narrative has spread, it has a strong organic character to it--even if Taiwanese political strategists planted the seeds, the soil was more than accommodating. Such a crafted narrative to me seems more like an invitation than manipulation. (Either way, admittedly such characterizations are dependent on one's chosen perspective.) Nonetheless, it should be recognized for what it is; taken literally it leads to erroneous conclusions. If the U.S. aggressively defends Taiwan in an invasion attempt, it won't be because of TSMC and fears of a chip shortage; it'll be because the American public has become invested in the idea of a free and democratic Taiwan, and willing to believe and accept that the US's long-term self-interests are furthered by putting itself and its citizens in the way of considerable, even existential harm. The story of TSMC would just be one of many--albeit an important one--along the road which brought the nation to that state of mind.