TSMC Granted Government Permission to Produce 2 nm Beyond Taiwan's Borders

[T0@st]

Last November, Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council indicated that it was considering a relaxation of "legal restrictions on transferring leading-edge process technology overseas." TSMC is the nation's most prized chip foundry, but new manufacturing operations are spreading across the globe. The very best node processes—currently TSMC's advanced 2 nm (N2)—have been restricted to home turf, yet global tensions have prompted the Taiwanese government to reconsider its guarded approach. A freshly published Taipei Times report has focused on an important announcement made at a recent government press conference. Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs of Taiwan, J.W. Kuo, stated that TSMC is now allowed to manufacture 2 nm chips on foreign soil—according to him, the foundry behemoth is "cautiously" evaluating an investment of roughly $28 to 30 (USD) billion into 2-nanometer production facilities Stateside.

His colleagues have worked hard—in the past—on preserving the country's "Silicon Shield," but fresh adjustments are sweeping in. Kuo commented: "those were old-time rules. Times have changed." TSMC's—allegedly costly—North American hub is reportedly marked down for a "by 2030" push into 2 nm process territories. Taiwan's Economic Affairs minister continued with his reasonings: "Private businesses should make their own business decisions based on their own technological progress...The basic principle is that businesses can make profits from their overseas investments. TSMC is building factories in the US with the aim of serving its US customers, as 60 percent of the world's chip-designing companies are based in the US." He also downplayed concerns regarding possible upcoming shifts in US trade policy making—Taiwan's "strong technological capabilities" are expected to weather the storm. Newly implemented US trade tariffs are expected to have only a "minor impact."



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[GodisanAtheist]

Dollars to donuts the US Govt twisted Taiwan's arm and told them not to expect help if they don't start loosening their grip on advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Literally the only reason they would do this.

 

[Event Horizon]

Dollars to donuts the US Govt twisted Taiwan's arm and told them not to expect help if they don't start loosening their grip on advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Literally the only reason they would do this.

I'm okay with the decentralization of semiconductor production. Having all your eggs in one basket is a risky convenience.

 

[kondamin]

Dollars to donuts the US Govt twisted Taiwan's arm and told them not to expect help if they don't start loosening their grip on advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Literally the only reason they would do this.

meh I think it’s was more of a allow for that to happen in the US or you’ll have to start using Chinese litho machines.

The US isn’t going to just abandon their strategic position on the Island

 

[freeagent]

Chinese litho machines.

They are 20 years behind, that will never happen.

 

[Wirko]

I'm okay with the decentralization of semiconductor production. Having all your eggs in one basket is a risky convenience.

And redundancy is a costly inconvenience. Whatever you look at, it's the same, be it RAID arrays or having more than one source of oil and gas.

 

[kondamin]

And redundancy is a costly inconvenience. Whatever you look at, it's the same, be it RAID arrays or having more than one source of oil and gas.

less of an inconvenience than having none

 

[tpa-pr]

I wonder how this will affect the political situation with China? From my understanding part of the Silicon Shield was to deter China from reclaiming Taiwan because the government would scuttle it's manufacturing and essentially topple the world economy. Now that Taiwan is diversifying where it builds it's most advanced tech what will deter China (apart from the threat of war with the US of course)?