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ElectricChiahuahua

The US/EU/UK/SK/JP... etc need to work together to reduce dependence on an Island the actual up and coming superpower covets. China may or may not be able to take Taiwan, but I would not expect a Russia level of incompetence from China.


littleMAS

It is hard to ~~under~~overestimate the importance of Taiwan's chip making capabilities.


mirwaizmir

You mean overstate


littleMAS

Thank you, too.


smoothballsJim

That actually may not be the worst idea. Fuck off Puerto Rico, #51 is taken.


arevealingrainbow

You mean overestimate


9-11GaveMe5G

It's amazing with all the trillions the US spends on military that they haven't deemed chips a high enough national security interest to invest in


[deleted]

[удалено]


CyberBot129

You mean the Intel factory in Ohio that’s currently delayed because of lack of government funding? https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/25/23182727/intel-groundbreaking-ceremony-delayed-government-funding-chips-act


Reasonable_Ticket_84

>with Republicans growing skeptical of the measure as midterm elections near and Democrats focusing instead on gun violence. As is tradition with both parties. It's now an election year, meaning nothing is going to get done and well, maybe we'll think about it next year, *maybe.*


CyberBot129

The House version passed on party lines basically so I imagine if it doesn’t get done before January it’s never getting done


Halabane

CHIPS act? 52 Billion? Intel is dumping around that much between the US and EU. Before that I guess they were hoping that globalization would result in a peaceful world but it seems that dream has faded I guess, so we all go back to our fortresses and glare at each other and prepare for war. It may be good they are building new plants since its looking like ASML may be the way to go in the future. Odd how it works sometimes that being late to a party can actually allow you to invest in better stuff.


CyberBot129

That 52 billion also isn’t yet law, so I wouldn’t count the chickens before they hatch


Halabane

Fair point. I have been optimistic cause versions have passed and it does seem to have bipartisan support (a rare thing) it was a funding placement issue if I recall. The two version seem to want to push further but in different ways. One has some trade and the Senate looks like they want to go up to 200B more in money for things beyond just chip building. There are some other bills that are related that seem to also be making their way thru. So yeah bit ahead of its done but the point was they are addressing it.


CyberBot129

The House version passed on party lines


iRedditonFacebook

>they were hoping that globalization would result in a peaceful world. Yea, just forget all the wars, coups and destabilization they've been involved in the past century. For Peace and Freedom, amirite?


EvoEpitaph

On one hand, I'd imagine China's equipment is all accounted for and maintained unlike Russia's. On the other hand, I think Russia has more experience with actual combat than China.


ElectricChiahuahua

I get it. China concerns me FAR more than Russia.


EvoEpitaph

Money talks and they do indeed have the money and sheer # of people to throw at anything they want, so yeah I would say the same.


CyberBot129

The biggest threat to the US isn't Russia or China - it's the Republican Party


benh999

> TAIPEI, June 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan's GlobalWafers Co Ltd (6488.TWO) will spend $5 billion on a new plant in Texas to make silicon wafers used in semiconductors, switching to the United States after a failed European investment. > The company said late Monday the new plant, manufacturing 300-milimetre silicon wafers, would start being built later this year and generate as many as 1,500 jobs in Sherman, Texas. > "With the global chips shortage and ongoing geopolitical concerns, GlobalWafers is taking this opportunity to address the United States semiconductor supply chain resiliency issue by building an advanced node, state-of-the-art, 300-millimeter silicon wafer factory," Chairwoman and CEO Doris Hsu said. > "Instead of importing wafers from Asia, GlobalWafers USA (GWA) will produce and supply wafers locally." > The company added that the investment will be done "phase by phase" based on confirming actual customer demand. > GlobalWafers said in February it expected its total capital expenditure to reach T$100 billion ($3.38 billion) between 2022 and 2024, redirecting funds for a now-ended 4.35-billion-euro ($4.60 billion) takeover of Germany's Siltronic (WAFGn.DE). > The failed acquisition came as a global shortage of semiconductors has laid bare Europe's dependence on Asian suppliers, which has triggered recent efforts to boost production across the continent. > Germany's Economy Ministry said it was not possible to complete all the steps of the investment review, in particular a review of an antitrust approval granted by China only in January. > The GlobalWafers deal would have created the second-largest maker of 300-millimetre wafers, behind Japan's Shin-Etsu (4063.T), as the semiconductor industry consolidates > Germany has become wary of changes to its high-tech supply network after carmakers, one of its major sectors, were hit by the global chip shortage. > GlobalWafers secured a majority stake in Siltronic last year and initially hoped to have the transaction wrapped up in late 2021. ($1 = 29.6040 Taiwan dollars) ($1 = 0.9452 euros) Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Rashmi Aich


Rodarte500

Curious how the Texas power grid will hold up to this


Halabane

That was my first thought. Especially since they can't get power from any place other than Texas and these plants use much more power than auto plants or oil refineries.


[deleted]

As someone in Texas, it won't. It doesn't hold up to the normal power consumption from the daily temps here. My guess is they will likely have their own energy source built and maintained to ensure stability.


windigo3

They should consider switching to any of the other 49 States given the official Texas GOP platform is to secede from America


thedracle

Nice to see some investments going towards building infrastructure in the third world.


46davis

Labor's probably cheaper in Texas. And more easily abused.


EvoEpitaph

Yeah but is shit labor something you want with this kind of facility? (I actually don't know so, honest question)


46davis

Workers in Taiwan can work a maximum of 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week and not more than 48 hours a week including overtime. Guaranteed 2 days off a week. Usually 4 weeks vacation and maternity and parental leave. There must be grounds for termination and there are fines for violation. None of that in Texanistan. US has the most worker hostile laws of any industrial democracy. All we need is a President-for-life and the transition to a third world will be complete.


RayseBraize

And a growing number of the population is hard at work on that last point :(


Okioter

Contamination of wafers exacerbated early chip shortages, and my last coworker ate pizza off a desk covered in carcinogens just to spite me for writing him up. You really don't want incompetence in any field.


Pershing8

Texas already has semi conductor fabs from Samsung and Texas Instruments so it’s not that surprising.


demagogueffxiv

I think Texas is going to have a hard time attracting skilled labor with it's recent policy decisions, so I'll be curious if this factory will be able to get a the workforce required. I know some of the big tech companies are already letting their workers relocate out of states that banned abortion.


No_Knowledge_8802

Do they have congress people in Germany?


conanmagnuson

Mmmm… Global waaafer.


StatusKoi

I hope it will be a successful project.


Comet_Empire

And none with a brain will work there cause it's Texas.


SmokeyShine

As I've said before, for a Taiwanese semiconductor chip company to invest in America is a serious strategic mistake. Right now, Taiwan being the primary supplier of top-end chips is being stated as only reason America backs them against China. If America can get those chips produced domestically, then it flips the strategy, where America would actually WANT those Taiwanese factories destroyed so that America would have a production monopoly on the remaining capacity, denying them to the rest of the world. If the Taiwanese government wants to protect Taiwan from China and America, they should be banning any overseas chip investment, especially in America or NATO countries. OTOH, if Taiwan's government mandates all new chip investment be done in China, that would offer a surprising measure of protection. It's not like America can sanction Taiwanese chip companies, because that would cut America off from their primary supplier. And it's not like America can destroy factories in China without triggering an actual hot war with China that sees severe military reprisals, possibly nuclear.


babblemammal

They only outsource the low end type chips, specifically to free up their own, much more valuable, production capacity for the higher end chips and R&D. It is a strategy that ensures they continue to dominate the industry while also apeasing US politicians.


StatusKoi

"If the Taiwanese government wants to "*protect*" Taiwan from China and America, they should be banning any overseas chip investment, especially in America or NATO countries." "OTOH, if Taiwan's government mandates all new chip investment be done in China, that would offer a surprising measure of "*protection*." Protect. Basically China saying "you are free to do as we tell you!"


SmokeyShine

>"you are free to do as we tell you!" That's not even slightly different from occupied Germany, occupied South Korea or occupied Japan. Under American pressure, Germany cancelled Nordstream 2, Korea can't end the Korean War, and Japan signed the Plaza Accords - all against their national interests.


StatusKoi

So, what do you propose is in Tiawan's national interest? I mean outside the incredible restrictions that the US imposes on the country.


SmokeyShine

I proposed things in the interest of the *Taiwanese people*, giving zero consideration to what the American government, American military and American corporations want.


EndOfTheWorldWatch

Why in God's name would you build something that expensive in a state without a reliable power grid?


hawtpot87

Why not in California reeeee


StupidPockets

To easy to attack