Taiwan wouldn't tolerate US attempts to bomb TSMC in event of China takeover

[Daniel Sims]

A hot potato: Destroying the TSMC factories to keep them out of China's hands were it to invade Taiwan isn't likely the US's first action plan. However, that hasn't stopped the saber-rattling. In response, Taiwan recently said it would defend itself from anyone who tries to harm TSMC, whether China or the US.

Taiwan defense minister Chiu Kuo-cheng recently stated that his country's military would defend itself from anyone who tried to bomb its industrial facilities, implying the US is no exception. The comments push back against recent US suggestions of destroying TSMC fabs if China were to invade.

China considers the self-governing nation a rogue province and repeatedly expresses ambitions to annex Taiwan by force if necessary. As the global leader in building and supplying transistors that power most computerized devices, any attack on TSMC would ripple across the entire global economy.

At a May 3 conference organized by the California-based think tank the Milken Institute, US Democratic congressman Seth Moulton said the US should make China understand that it would destroy TSMC if China invaded. The threat followed a warning from former National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, who noted in March that China would control the world's economy if it took over TSMC.

Responding to press inquiries about Moulton's comments before a Monday session of the Legislative Yuan, Chiu said Taiwan's military wouldn't tolerate any attempt to bomb the country, even for defensive actions. Former US Defence Policy Under Secretary Michele Flournoy also expressed disagreement with Moulton, saying that losing TSMC would put a $2 trillion hole in the global economy within a year and halt manufacturing worldwide.

Arguments over the idea of forcefully keeping TSMC out of China's grasp have occurred before. The US has also proposed evacuating TSMC engineers from Taiwan as a less violent option during a Chinese invasion which could still be a $1 trillion hit to the world's economy. The US knows this, so much of the rhetoric is just saber-rattling.

Taiwan has previously noted that such actions would be unnecessary to achieve the US's goal of preventing a Chinese TSMC takeover. Last year, Taiwan National Security Bureau director-general Chen Ming-Tong said the company's facilities rely on resources from other countries. Chinese-controlled TSMC facilities would be useless if the US, or anyone else, cut off access to ASML's lithography equipment, for instance.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/98631-taiwan-wouldnt-tolerate-us-attempts-bomb-tsmc-event.html

 

[Aus spot]

Because sanctions have stopped countries before? Got to be kidding me. Sanctions may slow, but never stop.

 

[DSirius]

Well, it seems that US likes Taiwan "separatism" from China only when it suits them and only if Taiwan obeys US.
Otherwise US do not like or support Taiwan independence from them anymore?

 

[Kirby1]

What TSMC manufactures is vastly American IP. The US would be well within their rights to prevent China from taking over American IP. Taiwan would just have to deal with it, not like they could stop it.

 

[yRaz]

Well TSMC has released its own plan to self sabotage in the event of a Chinese takeover so why are we even talking about this?

 

[hahahanoobs]

Empty threats. TSMC is as valuable as water on this planet.

 

[Uncle Al]

What a silly discussion .....

 

[Kashim]

Well, it seems that US likes Taiwan "separatism" from China only when it suits them and only if Taiwan obeys US.
Otherwise US do not like or support Taiwan independence from them anymore?

Comments like this give me a headache. Did you even read the article? Do you know any history between China and Taiwan? Let me point out a few facts for you.

1. Taiwan is not looking for independence or separatism from China. Over 90% of Taiwan's citizens want the status quo to remain as it is right now. Whether the US supports your "separatism" nonsense or not is irrelevant.

2. China will never invade Taiwan regardless of what they say. They've been threatening to do so for decades. Every time they threaten to invade Taiwan it's nothing more than sabre rattling propaganda for domestic consumption. In fact, China has tried multiple times to reclaim Taiwan in the past 70 years and failed every time (look it up, history is fun), and that was before Taiwan had the advanced defensive capabilities they currently have. But all that is moot, because as I said China will never invade them with full force despite what they say.

3. TSMC cannot fall into the hands of China no matter what the cost. Period. It has nothing to do with Taiwan obeying US or whatever other nonsense you got in your head. TSMC and its technology are vital to the global economy and the US will never allow China to take control of it even if it means having to bomb it into the ground. But that will never happen because... read points 1 and 2.

 

[kinetix]

Well TSMC has released its own plan to self sabotage in the event of a Chinese takeover so why are we even talking about this?

Do you remember what I said about Taiwan being nothing more than a pawn, cannon fodder and sacrifice against China? How would things be once the US got enough production capacity? And what some politicians and industrialists on the island have been realizing? well, here is a sample of it in those comments of this defense minister.

 

[DSirius]

Comments like this give me a headache. Did you even read the article? Do you know any history between China and Taiwan? Let me point out a few facts for you.

1. Taiwan is not looking for independence or separatism from China. Over 90% of Taiwan's citizens want the status quo to remain as it is right now. Whether the US supports your "separatism" nonsense or not is irrelevant.

2. China will never invade Taiwan regardless of what they say. They've been threatening to do so for decades. Every time they threaten to invade Taiwan it's nothing more than sabre rattling propaganda for domestic consumption. In fact, China has tried multiple times to reclaim Taiwan in the past 70 years and failed every time (look it up, history is fun), and that was before Taiwan had the advanced defensive capabilities they currently have. But all that is moot, because as I said China will never invade them with full force despite what they say.

3. TSMC cannot fall into the hands of China no matter what the cost. Period. It has nothing to do with Taiwan obeying US or whatever other nonsense you got in your head. TSMC and its technology are vital to the global economy and the US will never allow China to take control of it even if it means having to bomb it into the ground. But that will never happen because... read points 1 and 2.

Well, it seems that you read a "different" article than me.
US is threatening Taiwan that will bomb TSMC factories, "if and if", not China.
China did not threaten to bomb TSMC factories.
US, not me as you wrote, supports Taiwan "separatism" which they like to call it independence when it suits them. And about this I wrote, to point out exactly this difference about US.
Read my post again carefully and try to actually understand what I wrote.
I agree that Taiwan prefer and chose to mantain it's status quo, being the better solution. And this is quite hard to achieve or maintain when both US and China makes threats to Taiwan.

What You Should Know About Taiwan's National History

From its early days to present times, learn about Taiwan's history, including its uneasy relationship with China over the past millennium.

www.thoughtco.com

 

[Fulljack]

Well, it seems that you read a "different" article than me.
US is threatening Taiwan that will bomb TSMC factories, "if and if", not China.
China did not threaten to bomb TSMC factories.

because China want TSMC so badly, they'd preferably keep it in a good condition. meanwhile US would rather raze it to the ground (scorched earth tactic) than let China take it.

it's "possibilities", not hard truth that will happen 100%. don't act like words means action exactly, when it's just a Congressman who said that over a conference. not an actual military nor government documents.

calm down.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Well, it seems that you read a "different" article than me.
US is threatening Taiwan that will bomb TSMC factories, "if and if", not China.
China did not threaten to bomb TSMC factories.
US, not me as you wrote, supports Taiwan "separatism" which they like to call it independence when it suits them. And about this I wrote, to point out exactly this difference about US.
Read my post again carefully and try to actually understand what I wrote.
I agree that Taiwan prefer and chose to mantain it's status quo, being the better solution. And this is quite hard to achieve or maintain when both US and China makes threats to Taiwan.

What You Should Know About Taiwan's National History

From its early days to present times, learn about Taiwan's history, including its uneasy relationship with China over the past millennium.

www.thoughtco.com

The US threatened to blow up TSMC if China invades Taiwan. Tell us what's worse .. having your chip plant blown up or your country invaded?

 

[OortCloud]

Rampant nationalism everywhere. Facist (or facist-leaning) regimes popping up. The worlds in a bad place right now. People need to stop talking like this and grow the f@@k up before desperate-little-man politicians flush us all down the toilet.

 

[DSirius]

because China want TSMC so badly, they'd preferably keep it in a good condition. meanwhile US would rather raze it to the ground (scorched earth tactic) than let China take it.

it's "possibilities", not hard truth that will happen 100%. don't act like words means action exactly, when it's just a Congressman who said that over a conference. not an actual military nor government documents.

calm down.

Funny how you claim to not take seriously US threats words (even by a senator), but in the same post you want your words to be taken seriously instead.
I advice you to stick to the facts instead of taking personally, or involving in emotional claims about other forum chat users. Otherwise, between you and that senator, you have just made your "possibilities" to be taken into consideration to plummet to zero so fast.

 

[Watzupken]

What US said only proves that they are looking after their own interest. If you think US is a friend, think again. I don't see the right for US to bomb another country for what they called, "national security". Its like your neighbor setting fire to or blowing up your house because they see burglars going in. It makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

Well if the USA doesn't want to go war with China they could just go to war with Taiwan if China goes to war with Taiwan.

 

[DSirius]

The US threatened to blow up TSMC if China invades Taiwan. Tell us what's worse .. having your chip plant blown up or your country invaded?

Good point, too much flame and push for conflicts instead of actual working solution for peace.
In french there is a saying about this attributed to King Louis XV of France: "Après moi, le déluge".
It translates as 'After us, the flood'. It is generally regarded as a nihilistic expression of indifference to whatever happens after one is gone.

Après moi, le déluge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In contrast, at least officially, China is promoting a peaceful reunification doctrine with Taiwan.
Taiwan status quo is delicate enough, and US is making it harder nowadays with those kind of statements.

 

[maladaptiv]

Funny how you claim to not take seriously US threats words (even by a senator), but in the same post you want your words to be taken seriously instead.
I advice you to stick to the facts instead of taking personally, or involving in emotional claims about other forum chat users. Otherwise, between you and that senator, you have just made your "possibilities" to be taken into consideration to plummet to zero so fast.

Obviously you are not very perceptive so I will put it down very simply:

If China invade Taiwan, US will do whatever is necessary to prevent them from achieving TSMC and their technology. This exact wording, about bombing TSMC, are only to deter China to do similar mistake as Russia did with Ukraine. Now, is it clear enough even for you?

 

[tellmewhy]

China does not need to make invasion on the land of Taiwan, it can just do a naval blockade until its demands are met. One of its demands may be to have a referendum in Taiwan to approve that Taiwan is Chinese territory. Another demand may be to have free access to technological products.

With so many long range ballistic missiles that China has on its territory the US has no military response beyond sending submarines. If they send ships they will be sunk. Forget about nuclear nukes, they are non-use weapons.

The Chinese are simply not a warrior race. The US in recent years has gone to war in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and I may be forgetting something, China hasn't gone anywhere. That's why the US while being 300 million are the world leaders while the Chinese who are 1500 million (and as population has higher average IQ) are slaves.

 

[DSirius]

Obviously you are not very perceptive so I will put it down very simply:

If China invade Taiwan, US will do whatever is necessary to prevent them from achieving TSMC and their technology. This exact wording, about bombing TSMC, are only to deter China to do similar mistake as Russia did with Ukraine. Now, is it clear enough even for you?

Obviously what you support as a way for US is not the right way, or at least Mandalorian way.
On the contrary it is the Imperial way. Galactic Empire bombed and destroyed Mandalorian planet too.
Is it finally clearer for you now?

 

[mailpup]

The Chinese are simply not a warrior race. The US in recent years has gone to war in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and I may be forgetting something, China hasn't gone anywhere.

You may have overlooked the short war when China invaded Vietnam in 1979.

 

[GoldenGoat]

I think if the US did blow up TSCM, it wouldn't be until long after Taiwan was unable to defend themselves due to attacks from China. Taiwan would have been completely destroyed with nothing but TSCM left standing by that point anyway. But I don't think these guys saying this stuff are actually decision makers for the US in this matter. We might as well take random people's words off a forum and consider it US policy.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Good point, too much flame and push for conflicts instead of actual working solution for peace.
In french there is a saying about this attributed to King Louis XV of France: "Après moi, le déluge".
It translates as 'After us, the flood'. It is generally regarded as a nihilistic expression of indifference to whatever happens after one is gone.

Après moi, le déluge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In contrast, at least officially, China is promoting a peaceful reunification doctrine with Taiwan.
Taiwan status quo is delicate enough, and US is making it harder nowadays with those kind of statements.

'China is promoting a peaceful reunification doctrine with Taiwan.' <--- LOL

 

[Achaios]

The Chinese are simply not a warrior race.

Oh rly? Why don't you ask Korean War Veterans to tell you?

Now I will mention Vietnam. The Vietnam War was not run by Ho Chi Minh like the commies in the US thought at the time and still do, it was run by a man called "Le Duan" who was a Chinese Puppet and was largely responsible for things like the Tet Offensive and other lesser known battles that killed many Americans. Over 55000 Americans died in Vietnam and as a matter of fact the Soviets were NOT directly responsible as they in fact were pressuring Hanoi to sue for peace. It was the Chinese that kept pressing for more American dead and it was the Chinese again that supplied most of the aid and weapons that made the American defeat possible. (See "The Vietnam War Documentary by Ken Burns")

An American Four Star Admiral called James George Stavridis co-authored a book that says that the next world war will be started by the Chinese. When you see Chinese Marines advancing on Taiwanese soil you will think your statement twice.

 

[p51d007]

China is saber rattling again. What they will probably do, is blockade Taiwan, then say we are only going to
"protect" you. You will be free to continue on as you have in the past. Then, start importing a few "key people"
into Taiwan to "help" them. Once there, little by little change things, get people on polticial boards etc.
In 10 years or so they will control Taiwan.
The same thing happened to HONG KONG.