Public sentiment is complex, reflecting both admiration for Taiwan's technological innovations and significant skepticism towards U.S. trade proposals aimed at localizing semiconductor production. Many commenters express concerns about the U.S. intentions, viewing them as manipulative and potentially harmful to Taiwan's economic independence. While there is strong support for Taiwan's chip industry, there are also fears of economic dependency and risks to sovereignty due to U.S. demands.

Taiwanese Government

United States

Intel

But if they lose protection then US loses chips which is exactly why the protection is in place in the first place. How is this a threat?! Must be some art of the deal logic.

Prashank_25

In an incredible turn of events, Taiwan seeks protection of China from the United States. 
This headline would not surprise me anymore.

notfulofshit

But if they move 50% chip production, then what is the need to protect them? (Geopolitically/realist sense).  Them keeping production IN Taiwan is probably the only reason keeping Trump from just letting China have it for themselves

Worldly_Abalone551

This is geopolitics in plain sight. The US is scared of China but also scared of being too dependent on Taiwan for semiconductors.

UnlikelyOpposite7478

Hi- Taiwanese here.


This is such a stupid move because the moment US withdraws protection for Taiwan, Taiwan will be forced to lean towards China (along with the chip technology). This is exactly what China wants. 


But our Taiwanese president is so pro-US, so maybe a stupid US move will be matched by stupid Taiwan move.

rddtexplorer

What if CHina offered protection, and all they needed to do is move 40% to China?

leapinleopard

They want to buy TSMC after it drops by 30%.

LargeSinkholesInNYC

I called this when the Fanta Menace was reelected. I'm surprised it took so long. 

SavagePlatypus76

DJMagicHandz

These bullying tactics are going to severely backfire for the US. 

thinkscout

GeekyGamer49

And the gag is US won’t even protect them 😂

Recent_Blacksmith282

I can almost bet those factories and foundries are rigged to go off at the point of an actual invasion. From China or the USA.

ViolatoR08

baby_budda

ExcellentWinner7542

Trump probably doesnt realize that moment we lose taiwan to China the entire U.S economy collapses and China takes over as the strongest country. Like genuinely. Not suprised honestly considering his track record. He doesnt understand just how reliant world is on taiwan’s chips and their unique environment. 

sonsuka

I love this idea the US is trying to push that they “protect” Asia out of generosity

No, they do so to protect American interests and make it easier to fight China if necessary

It isn’t a favour to Taiwan, America doesn’t want Taiwan to become part of China any more than Taiwan does

audigex

Trump wants Nvidia to be an American company so bad

sfaticat

So GOP hates regulations… but love direct orders from “Dear Leader”? Have I got it right?

atchijov

lol, that's more expensive than the tariff.

This is the stupidest business move I've ever heard of.  Making the competitor buy minority share of your failing company and add $400 billion on top of that.

dilldoeorg

Taiwan: nah we’re good with tariffs then

Particular-Break-205

not_old_redditor

Man is he stupid. TSMC has a monopoly and is the sole manufacturer of cutting edge chips in the world. So any amount of tariffs on them is being borne by the US consumer since TSMC chips are still going to be used.

ryizer

This is one of the dumbest things I have ever read.

green_gold_purple

The tariffs are cheaper. Taiwan doesn’t pay them, and it’s not like Apple is going to buy less chips from them.

In the immortal words of the late Ray Liotta, “Dumb. Florida. Moron.”

yuusharo

almo2001

Imagine if TSMC just stopped selling to the US instead.  Please let that happen.

Piltonbadger

&gt;In 2024, Taiwan's exports to the United States totaled approximately $42.3 billion, with machinery and electrical equipment being the leading product categories.

Lets say Taiwan got a 32% tariff then the differential (32-15) is a total of $7 billion per year.

Taiwan could refund its companies 100% of the tariffs and it would still be cheaper than paying Trump's extortion.

Bright-Blacksmith-67

Has a president ever interfered in the free market like this before?

EmperorKira

So, Trump wants a foreign country to have a controlling share in an American company? He wants 49% of the profits distributed from an American company to be diverted to foreign shores instead of going to Americans who see the value in our own industry?

UnspecifiedPsycosis

You can't bully TSMC they have Zero competition.

TheMatt561

[deleted]

This is why every country needs to follow Canada and China’s lead and tell him to fuck off with his shenanigans.

China isn't playing ball with TikTok so now he’s trying it with other countries/companies that will more likely kiss his ass.

phangtom

HellveticaNeue

“Give me $400 billion or I’ll tax my people more!”

maddogcertified

mumwifealcoholic

I mean, does US even have an alternative to TSMC? Reminder that tariffs are paid by the citizens importing, not who's exporting. 


Yes, it costs the fact it's less convenient for that nation to import chips, but... Which one is the alternative? US doesn't have microchips manufacturing of that kind, it takes years to build it, and the "genius" orange man cutted funds to buid such infrastructure because there was "Biden" written on the act's sign.


It's like going to the _only_ water provider in the continent and go "do as I say or I'll make other people pay more taxes over your product." 
"Who are those people gonna buy it cheaper from? People cannot stay without water no matter how expensive it gets."


I believe this is just to flex power, and to extort from his own citizens further while having someone else to blame for it.

Guilty-Mix-7629

The tarrifs would be less expensive lol.

Man, you quickly understand how he bankrupted 3 casinos. Imagine being worse off than an ass in business.

dextras07

Yea let TSMC take 49% of intel, then when the US fails to stop China from taking Taiwan due to "doge" cuts, TSMC and intel become Chinese companies.

TimeTravelingPie

Bruhhhh....is he dumb? You wanna split up your leading chip maker in your country and give it to a foreign company that is almost near to a total monopoly. 

I refuse to believe that someone can be this dumb. Maybe the title is manipulative

Qzartan

So instead of bringing manufacturing home, we are bringing in foreign countries to take over our manufacturing. Trump wants TSMC to acquire Intel. Just recently, Trump approved the sale of US Steel to Nippon Steel. Nippon just can't change the name of US Steel so that people think it was brought back home instead of sent overseas domestically.

seamonkeyonland

Stuckinatransporter

Hey, you know that company that told you and all the other semiconductor companies to pound sand for 40 years. You should acquire them and save them... then add 400B on top.

Yeah.. ok

Intel is in this mess because they refused to work with other chip manufacturers like TSMC,. Global Foundries, IBM and many others over and over again, because they were the 800lb gorilla with a decade lead in chip tooling and manufacturing... until they didn't. It took TSMC many years of collaboration and cost to finally pass them

Nobody outside Intel is sad for Intel. They have been awful for some time now.

digidavis

kowlown

The president forcefully making countries invest into a publicly traded company is kinda insane.

BeastsMode69

Could you imagine the GOP reaction if a Democrat ordered different companies to make specific acquisitions and investments like that?

HandFancy

It's wild to me that him just manipulating markets, companies and country economies with tariffs (which he legally cannot even be doing, but don't get me started on wtf congress is NOT doing) has become so...normal.

chriskot123

TSMC has the chance to do the funniest thing where they buy Intel and just kill the chip manufacturing part of Intel lol

ruisen2

Countries need to just turn their back and work with each other. Leave this idiot out by himself.

Zieprus_

My guy has no fucking idea how the semiconductor industry even works

intelligentx5

Make America great again… by forcing foreign buyers to buy up huge chunks of American companies? Ok… it’s nap time gramps.

invincibleparm

heimos

Remember when Republicans used to promote free market capitalism? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

slow_news_day

So when “conservatives” want Government to get involved in business ownership, profit margin, regulation, etc it’s for the best? But when Blue wants regulations to ensure greedy cash grabs have a layer or two of legal work to skip around they are branded evil communists?

tecky1kanobe

Government dictating what private businesses have to do. Weird type of free market capitalism, is there a different name for this?

HurtFeeFeez

wtf is trump wanting a foreign company to buy American companies now?  (Intel is a publicly traded company. Buying 49 percent puts it at EXTREME risk of a hostile takeover.)

ShoulderSquirrelVT

Is Trump forcing an American company to sell almost half of its ownership to a foreign company?

apeelvis

TSMC is a private company lol? Why is a government being coerced to make a private company make certain decisions?

Achmedino

Doesn't Taiwan have the leverage here? Its my understanding that the whole world needs their products.  Can't they simply sell somewhere else?

AstronomerDramatic36

Ah yes, the most valuable manufactured resource in the entire world.  Let’s make them not want to do business with us.  Fucking, genius.

Far_Estate_1626

He has no leverage here of any kind.  

The chips TSMC makes are not replaceable.  

Any manufacturer who uses them will still use them, no matter what the tariff is.  

Theyll just raise the price on the consumer. 

Could be 1000%. 

If you need a powerful ARM SoC...

its TSMC or bust, pretty much.

WaelreowMadr

Holy shit Intel and Trump are so petty.


100% higher ups at Intel begged Trump to save their burning dumpster fire of a company and this is the shit they came up with hhahahaha

danny12beje

At this point, it's cheaper to eat the tariffs, wait for him to leave power or kick the bucket, and make deals with the next idiot.

Midnight_M_

TSMC should respond by quadrupling their prices. Trumps meltdown would be hilarious.

Demonking3343

There is no way his is coming up with this. He's just a puppet of the oligarchs. Rubber stamping anything they want.

7evenate9ine

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this kinda close to Government sanctioned extortion?

Didn’t we watch the prequel trilogy?

Angel_Eirene

Why the fuck would Trump want to give up 49% of the only American company that still has it's own foundries? Yes, I know Intel is dying, but that is still a major strategic chip for the US (no pun intended).

WTFAnimations

Like am emboldened mafia goon, they're openly strong-arming other countries.

MealieAI

Selling protection. Classic mobster behavior

Rolf_Loudly

Trade but extortion. Gotta love the late stage American Empire entering their Nero/Carcalla/Caligula era

Spiritual_Paint5005

So he wants the government to control the ownership and investments of private companies?  I thought MAGA hated socialism and communism.

Ok_Cucumber_7954

This is not how democracies are supposed to operate. This is just so incredibly absurd.

pagalvin

The fact that a country's tariffs is tied to the purchase of a private company by another private company is insane

ThaBlackLoki

Ah yes, an idiot in power using international politics as a way to meddle with private company affairs.

Add a millionth line to the list of irredeemably stupid shit that anyone who isn't brainwashed should be able to cite as evidence of lack of any and all cognitive ability.

ExoticSalamander4

Intel? 😂
Or let’s swallow the tariffs and let Apple and Nvidia to do their things. 

I think he is playing with words so people will forget about that list. ;P

Patrick_Atsushi

elysiansaurus

So the new America first policy is having foreign companies buy the American ones?

zaneak

He always demands the sun and settles for a handful of poop

AbstractLogic

SidJag

Isn’t that admitting that Intel is a failure and needs a bailout?

Maconi

&gt; Demanding the world's leading chip manufacturer enter into a one-sided deal

I don't think he wants to play that game; it's not going to end well for him. What does he think our drones run on?

Disowned

Why would Taiwan care about tariffs? 

WE PAY THE TARIFFS NOT THE COUNTRY! Are Republicans this dumb???

hint: Republicans, that's a rhetorical question. You don't have to answer that. You were duped by the dumbest child rapist in the country so we already know.

listentomenow

How are republicans okay with this behavior? They spent decades railing against government intervention in the economy. Suddenly a man who wears makeup comes along and they just toss every last principle they had right out the window.

therobotisjames

TSMC?  
The TSMC the Chinese want?  
The Chinese TSMC?  
That TSMC?

This is definetly going to play out amazing once it gets "integrated into mainland China" 💀

-Memnarch-

Ugh, i can’t believe I live in a country where over a third of people believe that being a “great businessman” is using our soft and economic power that our ancestors created over several generations to strong arm and bully our allies into taking crappy deals. Trump doesn’t believe in fair business where both parties benefit, he believes in shaking down someone for all they got while giving them the bare minimum to make it seem like he’s doing business.

WasForcedToUseTheApp

Is his business strategy really just fucking other countries? Lol. 

Imagine threatening more tariffs on a country for not investing $600 billion into your country? Thats literal extortion.

Turbulent-Tone-1867

We are now changing the term ‘trade negotiations’ to ‘global blackmail.’

nolongerbanned99

So, is Trump saying Taiwan is not part of China?  I'm just looking for clarification on this so the Chinese government can see.

Lilcommy

AnEpicBowlOfRamen

So what’s the point of a foreign relations if the president thinks he can manage everything himself?  Which clearly, he cannot

2broke2smoke1

He wants an American company to sell to a foreign company that is located in a geopolitically unstable nation that is guranteed to be taken by a hostile competitive country in coming decades? 

The absolute ignorance and stupidity of this administration is staggering, it is that or their ranks are filled with foreign agents.

WellDatsInteresting

Donald is a stable genius only to Putin and China.  Forcing TSMC to purchase Intel?  

It’s a protection racket, “it would be a shame if something happened to your nice little country”.

America is officially a banana republic; a real shit-hole country.

EdOfTheMountain

ketoatl

Yeah no shit. "Give us half of the very reason why we are motivated to protect you, we promise we won't feel half less motivated to protect you. *wink wink*"

kebabsoup

100% correct decision. Anybody who offers a deal like this isn't a friend but a blackmailer

8hotsteamydumplings

Another USA negotiator lying (again) about negotiations:

&gt;Taiwan Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun, who is leading the tariff talks with Washington, told reporters upon getting back to the island that she had not discussed the 50-50 idea suggested by the U.S. during the talks.  
  
"**Our negotiating team has never made any commitment to a 50-50 split on chips**. Rest assured, we did not discuss this issue during this round of talks, nor would we agree to such conditions," she said, according to Taiwan's official Central News Agency.

PS. How many times is that now? I've lost count

Dejhavi

Taiwan is holding all the cards. There are many other countries willing to protect their chip supplier.

therinwhitten

Taiwan rejects a US proposal to manufacture 50% of semiconductors locally, emphasizing tariff reductions instead amid ongoing trade tensions.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and US Trade Relations

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