this post was submitted on 27 Dec 2024
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Trump nominee favors ‘destroying TSMC’ if China invades Taiwan (www.tomshardware.com)
submitted 6 days ago by Alphane_Moon to c/hardware
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[–] Psychodelic 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Oh ok, only Apple and Nvidia. lol. jk

Seriously though, you're clearly familiar with the semiconductor industry and yet you believe losing TSMC would only hurt Taiwan?

I'm likely less informed, but I'm inclined to think prices would skyrocket overnight and any innovation/R&D at competing companies would probably stall/be scrapped while companies simply try to match what TSMC is currently capable of producing. Personally, I'd immediately run out to buy the most expensive graphics card I could afford.

I mean, I know Intel likely isn't going to compete with anyone without some extreme government funding/support - they're currently struggling to get funding they were promised like 3 years ago.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil 3 points 6 days ago

Oh ok, only Apple and Nvidia. lol. jk

TSMC is an $800B company for a reason. But they aren't irreplaceable, just convenient relative to where Apple/Nvidia do the bulk of their manufacturing (in and around Hong Kong and Shenzhen).

you believe losing TSMC would only hurt Taiwan?

As a domestic policy, Taiwan needs TSMC more than the US, because Apple/Nvidia can always pivot to another semiconductor manufacturer but Taiwan can't just wave a magic wand and regain a once-in-a-century fluke of economic prosperity. If you're really worried about a Chinese invasion, why would you obliterate the breadbasket of the nationalist base of the Taiwanese workforce? It would be like the Saudi monarchy threatening to blow up the Kaaba. Literally the reason you have a base of power at all is this enormous socio-economic touchstone that your loyal professionals control.

Personally, I’d immediately run out to buy the most expensive graphics card I could afford.

You'd be overpaying into a market everyone was panic-buying into at that moment. Far better off to scope up as much SMIC stock as you could afford, as that's who will be producing Apple/Nvidia's chipsets into the foreseeable future.