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Not everything is about resources. Are you one of those people who thinks Taiwan is about chips? That conflict predates the chips, it's about face, prestige a
by lupusreal 2y ago
Not everything is about resources. Are you one of those people who thinks Taiwan is about chips? That conflict predates the chips, it's about face, prestige and reputation, but I often read people on HN saying it's all about chips.
When all you have to explain the world is a hammer every problem will look like a nail. It's a form of cognitive bias.
- jazzyjackson 2y agoI haven't seen anyone suggest China wants to re-unify because of chips; I would say US's incentive to guard against reunification is supply-chain sensitive.
- lupusreal 2y agoIt's a popular narrative that Taiwan can deter an invasion by having their fabs rigged to blow up and thereby depriving China of that resource. But China would want to take Taiwan and terminate the ROC government even if the island were an underdeveloped backwater with nothing of value because it represents a bastion of resistance to the CCP, a hold out from their civil war. Party prestige, not resources. Furthermore, America has been invested in the defense of Taiwan for far longer than the chips have been involved. America needs to remain committed to Taiwan if it wants other countries, particularly Japan and South Korea, to take America's support seriously. Reputation, not resources.
- CorrectHorseBat 2y agoI mean to remember reading that the chips are mostly there to stop an invasion. Taiwan was afraid of losing US support so the government set up a plan to make the country vital for the US economy, ensuring their protection. It's probably an exaggeration though
- jazzyjackson 2y agoFair enough. I have heard the narrative that the chips are economic leverage against an invasion and agree it's an insufficient deterrent.