6 ms·

Isn't that why only Taiwan has them? Because they have vastly more incentive to have them made on the island, then anyone else would have on their territory.

Isn't that why only Taiwan has them? Because they have vastly more incentive to have them made on the island, then anyone else would have on their territory. And the Taiwanese employees have more external motivation then anyone could feasibly have in the U.S. or Europe.

alchemist1e9 4y ago
If I understand you correctly you are saying their unique geopolitical position has an effective on incentives to make semiconductors. That’s really interesting and once I think about it explicitly it makes sense. Excellent point!
- oehtXRwMkIs 4y ago
  > 護國神山 "Sacred Mountain protecting the Country" = TSMC https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/wzqtd1/chinese_it_names_nicknames_toothpaste_intel/ https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/wzqtd1/chinese_it...
  - MangoCoffee 4y ago
    that's Media's b.s. No country based their national security on a private company. its ridiculous. Apple make iPhone that everyone love. Apple is the Shield that protect USA or maybe Google, Facebook? how about Ukraine is the food basket of Europe or perhaps even the world since Ukraine is a big exporter of grains. surely no one will attack Ukraine because the food price will soar and possible world wide famine.
    - bee_rider 4y ago
      They are a small island off the coast of a superpower that is pre-inclined to want to conquer them. They’ve been dealt a unique and very difficult hand, they are playing it was well as they can.
    - oehtXRwMkIs 4y ago
      Did you reply to the wrong post? I didn't make any claims whatsoever and yet somehow you managed to build a strawman out of mine.
BulgarianIdiot 4y ago
Can you please elaborate. Feels to me that the US trying to ban advanced semi in China combined with the fact they're produced an arm's distance away in Taiwan is a huge incentive for China to invade Taiwan.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- bee_rider 4y ago
  Part of Taiwan’s defense strategy is that they produce a valuable enough piece of the puzzle that it is at least plausible that the US would step in and defend them if China attacked. This strategy is widely reported, it even has a name, the “Silicon Shield.” Some might consider it unlikely that we actually would show up, but they are a small island off the shore of a superpower, so they are playing the hand they were dealt as well as they can. And, a small chance of the US showing up is still a pretty big disincentive to starting an invasion.
- terminalcommand 4y ago
  This is not fact checked. But I have heard that TSMC's factories have explosives installed in the buildings to self destroy if China invades. China needs to deactivate or sabotage the explosives before any invasion. Even in that case, I am sure there is a plan B to nuke the factories.
  - pjc50 4y ago
    Yeah, there is _zero_ chance of them being captured intact. It's a clean room! It's very easy to ruin! And both the Taiwanese and American governments have strong incentives to not let it be captured, and to signal that in advance. Not only that, it's very dependent on the skills and hard work of its staff. Which is one of the things that makes TSMC so hard to replicate.

alchemist1e9 4y ago

If I understand you correctly you are saying their unique geopolitical position has an effective on incentives to make semiconductors. That’s really interesting and once I think about it explicitly it makes sense. Excellent point!

oehtXRwMkIs 4y ago
> 護國神山 "Sacred Mountain protecting the Country" = TSMC https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/wzqtd1/chinese_it_names_nicknames_toothpaste_intel/ https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/wzqtd1/chinese_it...
- MangoCoffee 4y ago
  that's Media's b.s. No country based their national security on a private company. its ridiculous. Apple make iPhone that everyone love. Apple is the Shield that protect USA or maybe Google, Facebook? how about Ukraine is the food basket of Europe or perhaps even the world since Ukraine is a big exporter of grains. surely no one will attack Ukraine because the food price will soar and possible world wide famine.
  - bee_rider 4y ago
    They are a small island off the coast of a superpower that is pre-inclined to want to conquer them. They’ve been dealt a unique and very difficult hand, they are playing it was well as they can.
  - oehtXRwMkIs 4y ago
    Did you reply to the wrong post? I didn't make any claims whatsoever and yet somehow you managed to build a strawman out of mine.

BulgarianIdiot 4y ago

Can you please elaborate. Feels to me that the US trying to ban advanced semi in China combined with the fact they're produced an arm's distance away in Taiwan is a huge incentive for China to invade Taiwan.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
bee_rider 4y ago
Part of Taiwan’s defense strategy is that they produce a valuable enough piece of the puzzle that it is at least plausible that the US would step in and defend them if China attacked. This strategy is widely reported, it even has a name, the “Silicon Shield.” Some might consider it unlikely that we actually would show up, but they are a small island off the shore of a superpower, so they are playing the hand they were dealt as well as they can. And, a small chance of the US showing up is still a pretty big disincentive to starting an invasion.
terminalcommand 4y ago
This is not fact checked. But I have heard that TSMC's factories have explosives installed in the buildings to self destroy if China invades. China needs to deactivate or sabotage the explosives before any invasion. Even in that case, I am sure there is a plan B to nuke the factories.
- pjc50 4y ago
  Yeah, there is _zero_ chance of them being captured intact. It's a clean room! It's very easy to ruin! And both the Taiwanese and American governments have strong incentives to not let it be captured, and to signal that in advance. Not only that, it's very dependent on the skills and hard work of its staff. Which is one of the things that makes TSMC so hard to replicate.