TSMC is a reason Taiwan hasn't been invaded. Not just as a company based in Taiwan, it's also a strategic asset. Taiwan would sabotage the company to deny it to the Chinese and the resulting worldwide chip shortage would turn public ire against China.
Taiwan is rightfully unsure just how committed the US is to responding to Taiwan should China attack
Which is why they're looking to Japan, SK and the Philipines rather than the US.
Polymatter did a video and I'm once again linking this, because it's always relevant.
Like I've said, part of the reason why the West has been doing this half-assed proxy war in Ukraine is because Ukraine isn't an ally nor is it a nation worth saving for any kind of resources.
Taiwan on the other hand has a functional government - one that is somewhat corrupt (but what government isn't?) but very stable with a populace that is staunchly anti-Communist and like you pointed out, is a key distributor of chips.
We are explicitly allies with Taiwan as well. If China decides to be idiots I don't think the US will hesitate to defend them. They're a much different situation than Ukraine.
TSMC is a reason Taiwan hasn't been invaded. Not just as a company based in Taiwan, it's also a strategic asset. Taiwan would sabotage the company to deny it to the Chinese and the resulting worldwide chip shortage would turn public ire against China.
Which is why they're looking to Japan, SK and the Philipines rather than the US.
Polymatter did a video and I'm once again linking this, because it's always relevant.
that image is nice, and probably true, but it neglects taiwan's biggest threat:
the fifth column.
Like I've said, part of the reason why the West has been doing this half-assed proxy war in Ukraine is because Ukraine isn't an ally nor is it a nation worth saving for any kind of resources.
Taiwan on the other hand has a functional government - one that is somewhat corrupt (but what government isn't?) but very stable with a populace that is staunchly anti-Communist and like you pointed out, is a key distributor of chips.
We are explicitly allies with Taiwan as well. If China decides to be idiots I don't think the US will hesitate to defend them. They're a much different situation than Ukraine.