r/wallstreetbets • u/MikeMikeGaming AI bubble survivor • Jan 28 '25

News Trump To Tariff Chips Made In Taiwan, Targeting TSMC

https://au.pcmag.com/computers-electronics/109466/trump-to-tariff-chips-made-in-taiwan-targeting-tsmc

Why don't we kick Nvidia while it's down am I rite?

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u/Jasonrj Jan 28 '25

It matters to TSMC that their best tech is produced exclusively in Taiwan because it makes protecting Taiwan from China a global interest. Trump thinking a tarrif will make them change their mind is very stupid.

83

u/BigFatStinkyCheese Jan 28 '25

Exactly... The silicone shield! It shows his complete lack of understanding of geopolitics.

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u/elg0rillo Jan 28 '25

It’s silicon shield. Silicone the bouncy stuff in boobs. Way different shield

1

u/trombolastic Jan 28 '25

Or maybe he understands It and it’s all part of his insane isolationist policies. If TSMC can produce their best chips in the US he can stop supporting Taiwan and let Xi do his thing. 

2

u/DankRoughly Jan 28 '25

What's in that for Taiwan though? TSMC won't play ball

2

u/wonklebobb Jan 28 '25

"what in it for taiwan" is sovereignty. Trump wants a payoff in exchange for allowing Taiwan to continue to exist.

It's the same reason he's started pulling key trigger troops out of Europe and calling for increased payments to the US for maintaining our troops there. He just wants payoffs so he can pour more money into his own pockets.

1

u/Jonbos617 Jan 29 '25

Wouldn’t that be the country’s pocket though?

1

u/Lloyd--Christmas 🦍 Jan 28 '25

💯 Taiwan isn’t dumb enough to make themselves expendable.

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '25

I doubt that TSMC cares about silicon shield (if there is even such a thing - China's ambition to take over Taiwan is not about silicon tech, it's about open access to Pacific anyways). TSMC would likely produce anywhere if it was possible at the right price. Most fabs moved from US to Asia basically because US is not able to achieve high yield.

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u/sharkbait-oo-haha Jan 28 '25

They care if they get invaded, fabs sized and nationalised as property of communist China then shipped off to mainland China. Which is why their fabs are literally loaded with explosives as a last resort. And the rest of the world knows it, "let China invade us, we salt the earth and you lose all your cutting edge tech"

It's the mutually assured destruction without the nukes.

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u/djinn6 Jan 28 '25

It's nowhere near MAD. China has its own fabs that can produce 7 nm chips. It's worse for sure, but not nearly bad enough to end "cutting edge tech". There's nothing a 3 nm chip can do that a 7 nm chip can't if it's allowed a bit more time and energy.

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u/OtherwiseAlbatross14 Jan 28 '25

There's nothing a 3 nm chip can do that a 7 nm chip can't if it's allowed a bit more time and energy.

I love how your last sentence describes exactly why the rest of your entire comment is wrong.

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u/djinn6 Jan 28 '25

Name one thing China can't do then.

They have more energy (thanks Russia). They make more chips. Added together their total computing power can match anyone elses. With Taiwan out of the equation, they'll be ahead.

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u/sharkbait-oo-haha Jan 28 '25

Name one thing China can't do then.

How about put their 7nm chips in phones used within the US government?

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u/djinn6 Jan 28 '25

Does 7 happen to be your IQ? We're talking about stuff processors can do.