3mo ago

Trump To Tariff Chips Made In Taiwan, Targeting TSMC

www.pcmag.com

The tariffs would ensnare cutting-edge smartphone and PC-related chips for Apple, AMD and Nvidia if enacted. But Trump is betting his plan will bring more chip production to the US.

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44 comments

- Crying and banging my head on the floor because accelerationists might be right
  
  ACCELERATIONIST TRUMP
  ACCELERATIONIST TRUMP
- He might be right.
  
  "trump was godsent, but not for the reasons you believe. think more of an exodus' plague"

Ah yes put tariffs on the goods that our allies make, a tried and true solution to the problem of groceries
Long term, more high tech manufacturing will be the result of more technology availability for cheaper, not higher cost chips from overseas
It's my understanding that Taiwan doesn't manufacture the chip producing machines anyways, those come from ASML
- This will surely sort out the egg price

He said he was gonna apply tarrifs to China. This is consistent with the One China policy.
- Yellow Perilism isn't just about PRC. Japan suffered from it first hand in the 1980s and 1990s. Anti-Asian racism runs deep in the US and the West.
- Wait I somehow never thought about this, does the one china policy really dictates that they have to apply tariffs across the strait? I assume it's in jest since I'm pretty sure they regular import/export on a smaller scale yet (like ban on Xinjiang imports), but I'm curious

The world's largest semiconductor foundry, and one of the primary reasons the U.S. maintains a hold on Taiwan. There are rumours that the US has a plan to blow it up in case of Chinese invasion, that's how valuable it is. So this quite a reversal of strategy.
- As I understand it, TSMC and Taiwan themselves have a plan to blow up the foundries should a China invasion look like it's going to succeed. They are already rigged with the explosives from what I understand.
  
  I have heard they are rigged with explosives, but that could just be hearsay. I wouldn't work in a building rigged with explosives. I also don't understand why TSMC would voluntarily self-destruct in such a situation. I don't get the incentive.

Tariffs only exist to protect the profits of the ruling class.
Do not be fooled. Tariffs are not good for us.
- Japan used tariffs to increase domestic industries and leap frog into the 20th century. It enabled them to take part in WW II and beyond. That's why you'll see giant corporations that control multiple different industries.
  It did work for Japan. The US is in a completely different situation though, and it'll only hurt.
  
  The US also used protectionism in the 19th and 20th centuries
- Tariffs can help with preparation, and they are a tool like many other policies. These ones, though, are not thoughtfully planned out. These protect no one, not even the mega-corps who need to figure out how to make everything domestically or price themselves out of the market.
  
  Not true. A nation doesn't need tariffs to help with preparations unless they're also trying to maintain the dominance of their ruling classes.
  Tariffs mean we have to pay for it instead of them. They can afford it, but they won't foot the bill unless they are forced to.
- I've found it soul crushing that anyone believed tariffs would help.

It Hurt Itself in Its Confusion!

Does he plan to start making chips??? Genuinely why would he do this.
- The US makes chips. Notably Intel and TSMC have US fabs.
  
  Lol the chips Intel and TSMC make in the US are three generations old and no where near producing the amount needed to even cover the USs needs.
  
  Intel is currently floundering unable to make a good (reliable) node. TSMC can make the chip, but the very important step of packaging needs to be done in Taiwan still.
  
  Ahhhhh, so he's trying to reinvigorate domestic industry.