back to article TSMC wants to cash its US CHIPS but seems unhappy with the red tape

TSMC is the latest foundry operator to express at least some concerns over the US CHIPS Act subsidies opportunity. Signed into law in August, the act ring-fenced $52.7 billion of taxpayer cash to bankroll a step up in semiconductor manufacturing and R&D on American soil, so as to lessen the United States' reliance on overseas …

  1. NeilPost

    Largely a waste of time

    Largely a waste of time

    “Signed into law in August, the act ring-fenced $52.7 billion of taxpayer cash to bankroll a step up in semiconductor manufacturing and R&D on American soil, so as to lessen the United States' reliance on overseas chip factories and supply chains.”

    .. as once these chip fabs do come on line, they will just feed into that same overseas supply chain feeding overseas electronics manufacturing factories … which as in the same parts of the Far East …. as highlighted by the article with Samsung, SK Hynix and Intel having manufacturing in China.

    This ship has already sailed, this horse bolted 20, 30, 40 years an under Regan, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama years ago with the Globalisation/Off-shoring of manufacturing of pretty much everything to Asia. Same in the UK with the destruction of Silcon Glen by these same companies.

    Still happening with Brexit and zealots like Patrick Minford who would be happy for a formerly resurrected motor industry and agriculture to follow.

    1. neilfs

      Re: Largely a waste of time

      Do feel as if we are jumping from having China being in a powerful position to America.

      Writing from the perspective of the UK, much of this to me starts to give me a sense this isn’t just about security but retaining wealth and limiting other countries from growing financially to become a greater super power.

      And yes agreed, they’re forgetting about production of sub-assemblies and final assembly which China are still masters of.

      1. NeilPost

        Re: Largely a waste of time

        I think the end result will be greater supply chain security but only by moving off-shored manufacturing to friendlier (less shit) nations. Places like India/Malaysia/Philippines/Vietnam/Indonesia/Sri Lanka/Mexico etc:

        Other than high end/high margin/trade protected manufacturing … it’s laughable to imagine electronics manufacturing being on-shored back to the US/Can/Europe. There isn’t ETSY electronics for example.

        1. martinusher Silver badge

          Re: Largely a waste of time

          China was quite friendly back in the day -- before we started attacking it. Its policies have been consistently pro-China, as you might expect, but then our policies should be pro-whoever we are.

          >friendlier (less shit) nations

          "More compliant" might be the term you're searching for. When it comes to infrastructure and available workforce China runs rings around many countries and its got the added benefit of size. The other countries you cite as "less shit" are either limited in capacity or they've got significant other problems (India should be a player, for example, but until its dealt with social issues and endemic, entrenched, poverty it will never achieve its full potential).

          1. NeilPost

            Re: Largely a waste of time

            I think you need to go back and review near history - Korean War, Vietnam War etc…

            The sabre-rattling language over Taiwan is little different to Russia/Ukraine. The only difference is lack of Petroleum Resources, and a modern economy based on hocking all manner of stuff to the Westernised/Anglosphere World.

          2. low_resolution_foxxes

            Re: Largely a waste of time

            The Chinese economy is impressive in many ways, but it's laws have some seriously unusual quirks.

            For example, they have blocked various US technology companies from operating for decades now.

            They also require a 'local partner' to create manufacturing chains. One of the reasons there are so many Chinese billionaires is mainly because a large British corporation will need to take on a local engineering part in a 50-50 venture. Hence what tends to happen is that well connected Chinese engineers become tech billionaires very quickly during the boom years.

            Many Western companies hate this situation, but appreciate there is no current alternative. To be fair to the Americans, the embargo on US tech companies and the peculiar partnership situation made sense in the early 2000s, but is becoming a joke in the global economy of 2023. Trouble is - none of the powerful Chinese billionaires want to let go of the partnership system.

            So yes, I love to dunk on the Americans, but there are some aspects to their criticism of China that is quite valid (and for sure, Chinese criticism of America has some equally valid points).

  2. VoiceOfTruth

    So where is the outcry from the usual suspects?

    -> the details demanded by the CHIPS funding are too invasive and involve the sharing of trade secrets.

    If this was China, the usual paid hacks would be making a song and dance about it. When it is Uncle Sam the voices are silent.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So where is the outcry from the usual suspects?

      Could not agree more, was thinking exactly the same thing.

      In the end most people not in China or US probably do not care much where their product comes from; both bring incomprehensible EULAs, no guarantees, no service and high prices for this week's very good reason.

      It's all the same, both parties want the world to trust them, both parties bash each other, both parties are only in it for themselves. There's not much ideology in commerce people!

      Good thing the sun's out otherwise this could bring me down. Now it's just a simple insignificant fact of life in Commercia.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    USA Price Gouging

    The USA of price gouging and IP suing law firms (chancers) has meant that many countries and entities like the UK and the EU look elsewhere.

    The USA has replaced the UK monarchy with a rich elite that could not careless how anyone but them fairs.

    USA dream is gone and replaced by wage slavery.

  4. DS999 Silver badge
    WTF?

    Whine whine whine

    If you offer me millions, let alone billions, in free money I'll happily (OK not happily but without complaint) spend an entire year doing nothing but filling out boring paperwork!

    Having to jump through a few hoops seems like a small price to pay for getting all that money, but hey no one is forcing them to accept it.

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