this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2025
15 points (100.0% liked)
Geopolitics
517 readers
1 users here now
A discussion of geopolitical trends from history and today.
geopolitics (jē″ō-pŏl′ĭ-tĭks) noun
The study of the relationship among politics and geography, demography, and economics, especially with respect to the foreign policy of a nation.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
The moment China produces its first class-leading semiconductor node they're gonna pounce on Taiwan immediately, because that leaves everyone else behind.
I would think that would lessen the need for Taiwan's advanced fabs, but I guess it depends on if you think they are taking Taiwan to have the fabs or to deny the fabs to everyone else.
Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia, AMD and Intel are using TSMC to produce some, most or all of their chips currently. Shutting down TSMC or controlling its allocation will hurt many countries right now.
Seeing as TSMC is currently scaling up fab production in the US with their new fabs means they're feeling that pressure and made the deal with the promise of US protecting them.
However, seeing as the current US administration is all over the place and Nvidia started selling to China again, I wouldn't count on US risking all out war to protect Taiwan anymore.
Context for anyone wondering: These new fabs will NOT being using their latest 2nm processes, but their 4nm FinFET process. Meaning we'll still be reliant on Taiwan itself for their latest and greatest.
I think if the choice is to not have modern chips, they will go to war. Chips are too strategic these days in too many domains including military.