Harassment of Taiwan an ominous clue to Trump 2.0 foreign policy

[placeholder]

US President Donald Trump’s threat to levy tariffs against imported semiconductors creates additional stress for Taiwan, which is already menaced by increasing military pressure from the People’s Republic of China. 

Trump’s threat also indicates the ascendancy within the White House, at least for now, of American unilateralism over the alternative of attempting to build a collective security bulwark against China.

On January 27, Trump said that “in the very near future” the US government would impose tariffs on foreign-produced semiconductors, explaining that the objective is to “return the production of these essential goods to the United States.” He then specifically mentioned that chip-makers “left us and they went to Taiwan.” 

https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/harassment-of-taiwan-an-ominous-clue-to-trump-2-0-foreign-policy/

 

This is Trump's way of punishing Taiwan's TMSC for building a now operational semiconductor  plant in Arizona  And it has plans to open another one, too. And they deserve that punishment. After all, it was those shadowy, traitorous figures in the Biden Administration that negotiated the deal. 

 

$6.6 billion TSMC deal in Arizona the latest in the CHIPS Act’s rollout

https://www.marketplace.org/2024/04/09/tsmc-deal-chips-acts-semiconductors/

[John Drake]

I agree that the attack on TSMC is stupid beyond belief. But I'm not so sure that the other end of the argument, backing away from Taiwan, is such a bad idea. The opposition KMT is in a coalition that controls the legislature and most local governments. Only the executive is in the hands of the DPP. And the KMT wants a Hong Kong style solution (one country; two systems) to the current conflict with the PRC. Going down the same path as Hong Kong would likely soon result in complete control by the PRC. In those circumstances who would want to pour investment, American weapons, and other support into a KMT-ruled Taiwan if it runs the risk of being turned over to the PRC in a few years?

[tomazbodner]

2 hours ago, placeholder said:

US President Donald Trump’s threat to levy tariffs against imported semiconductors creates additional stress for Taiwan, which is already menaced by increasing military pressure from the People’s Republic of China. 

Trump’s threat also indicates the ascendancy within the White House, at least for now, of American unilateralism over the alternative of attempting to build a collective security bulwark against China.

On January 27, Trump said that “in the very near future” the US government would impose tariffs on foreign-produced semiconductors, explaining that the objective is to “return the production of these essential goods to the United States.” He then specifically mentioned that chip-makers “left us and they went to Taiwan.” 

https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/harassment-of-taiwan-an-ominous-clue-to-trump-2-0-foreign-policy/

 

This is Trump's way of punishing Taiwan's TMSC for building a now operational semiconductor  plant in Arizona  And it has plans to open another one, too. And they deserve that punishment. After all, it was those shadowy, traitorous figures in the Biden Administration that negotiated the deal. 

 

$6.6 billion TSMC deal in Arizona the latest in the CHIPS Act’s rollout

https://www.marketplace.org/2024/04/09/tsmc-deal-chips-acts-semiconductors/

Why would TSMC bother with Donald's demands? Intel's foundry sucks. Samsung is marginally better but incapable of producing the volumes it needs. AMD, nVidia, Qualcomm, Apple, etc. rely 100% on semiconductors from TSMC. If he slams the tariffs on them, he's only killing American companies. I say - let him do it.

[tomazbodner]

5 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I agree that the attack on TSMC is stupid beyond belief. But I'm not so sure that the other end of the argument, backing away from Taiwan, is such a bad idea. The opposition KMT is in a coalition that controls the legislature and most local governments. Only the executive is in the hands of the DPP. And the KMT wants a Hong Kong style solution (one country; two systems) to the current conflict with the PRC. Going down the same path as Hong Kong would likely soon result in complete control by the PRC. In those circumstances who would want to pour investment, American weapons, and other support into a KMT-ruled Taiwan if it runs the risk of being turned over to the PRC in a few years?

On the flip side, can US afford World's best and only 2nm foundry to become Chinese? That would put Silicon Valley in the position of Huawei under Trump 1.0.

[placeholder]

11 hours ago, John Drake said:

I agree that the attack on TSMC is stupid beyond belief. But I'm not so sure that the other end of the argument, backing away from Taiwan, is such a bad idea. The opposition KMT is in a coalition that controls the legislature and most local governments. Only the executive is in the hands of the DPP. And the KMT wants a Hong Kong style solution (one country; two systems) to the current conflict with the PRC. Going down the same path as Hong Kong would likely soon result in complete control by the PRC. In those circumstances who would want to pour investment, American weapons, and other support into a KMT-ruled Taiwan if it runs the risk of being turned over to the PRC in a few years?

Historically, the kmt wanted one country one system with it at the head of it. Nowadays, in response to the political reality that most Taiwanese don't desire reunification, it's placed a new emphasis on defense. If the kmt seriously supported a path leading toreunification, it would cease to exist as a serious political party in Taiwan 

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/from-dove-to-hawk-kmts-transformation-and-the-quest-for-new-guardrails-in-cross-strait-relations/