Have you forgotten all the intel/GF fabs?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_manufacturing_si...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlobalFoundries#Fabrication_fa...
>... “leading edge” ...
Does Intel have some leading edge fabs? I read they have some coming in the future, but I think the point is it’s good to have more!
If the question is about the definition of the term, this document from a faceless consultancy in Aug 2020 describes leading-edge nodes as 14nm and newer.
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/advanced-electronics/our...
I doubt McKinsey would stand behind that definition now. If they did, it wouldn’t do them credit.
Others are shipping 5nm. I mean I’m typing on a laptop that has a 5nm process cpu right now, and Intel is nowhere inside.
Intel is even having trouble with 7nm.
Remember when in 2018 SuperMicro servers sold to Apple were compromised by a small chip inserted by a Chinese sub-manufacturer? [1] Or how iPhone designs sometimes get leaked by employees of Foxconn in Taiwan? [2] We've got fabs in the US, but I believe domestic chip manufacture should become central policy to prevent incidents like this.
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-10-04/the-big-h...
[2] https://bgr.com/2019/08/14/iphone-11-release-date-soon-foxco...
It is possible in theory, but this particular story is considered a BS.
What about Intel Custom Foundry?
1. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/15/tech/tsmc-arizona-chip-factor...
They're an ally, they're totally reliant on the US and afraid of the PRC.
Won't we also need "rare" earth metal supplies to of it is a vital industry we can't cope with being overseas? And then there is the fact the fab machines all come from Belgium.
And "but what about ______, then?" (e.g. rare earths, fab machines) does not mean that all other "______" (e.g. chips) should follow suit. You control what you can.
Nothing against Taiwan or anything. Its just the bloody obvious "first strike" move. China will almost certainly attack Taiwan as part of an offensive-strategy vs the USA.
Having fabs on this side of the Pacific Ocean is important for strategic defense reasons. Of course, the US should move to defend Taiwan in that situation, but if worst-comes-to-worst, we'll need a way to produce chips under such a scenario.
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This story is about Samsung however, which is South Korean. North Korea now has nuclear weapons, as well as tons of artillery pointing at South Korea.
For the Samsung-side of things: same thing. South Korea are great allies, but if the North Korean war ever gets started again, Samsung's production inside the US-proper would be a strategic advantage.
Should I remind of the fact that Taiwan was very glad to sell any amount of semiconductors to mainland China.
If anybody had an option to strangle them economically, it would've been Taiwanese themselves.
China is world's biggest semiconductor market. If the tap will close on their semiconductor imports, so would've their economy at large.
Now, it's them, and not US who has to regret their prior indecisiveness the most.
Now of course attitudes have changed in Taipei, but only now.
I bet, in the next 5-10 years, Japan, and Korea will have their own time regretting being soft with Beijing just like that.
And US companies moved production to China. Apple, TSLA, etc. etc. Yeah, we're in peacetime. These things happen. We're not planning to go to war with China, but we need to be realistic about potential threats in the future.
There's something to be said about the ability for trade to reduce tensions. I don't think trade with China is necessarily bad.
> If anybody had an option to strangle them economically, it would've been Taiwanese themselves
> China is world's biggest semiconductor market. If the tap will close on their semiconductor imports, so would've their economy at large.
Why would anyone (least of all Taiwan) want this? Trade isn't a zero-sum game, and both parties benefit from it. Trade wars are very unpredictable, as the way the US lost the Trump-era trade war with China shows.
It's true that some in the US see China as a rival that must be "strangled". Views outside the US are much more nuanced - China isn't going to disappear and is way too big to just strangle. There are major issues dealing with China, though.
US sell chip to China as well until the Huawei ban. TSMC stop making chip for Huawei when the US hammer came down.
how can you tell Taiwan to stop selling when your own companies is selling to China? how's that fair?
I was referring to ASML Holdings.
Taiwan is a great ally to the US and having it manufacture chips is good for both economies, but if the US wants to lower risk and keep control of its technological edge it is in its interests to keep manufacturing domestic.
I think TSMC was working on a similar deal.
> Won't we also need "rare" earth metal supplies to of it is a vital industry we can't cope with being overseas?
Rare earth materials are available in the US but due to cost competitiveness, all the mining happens overseas. Also the mining process has environmental impacts some countries choose to ignore.
> And then there is the fact the fab machines all come from Belgium.
Which company in Belgium make the fab machines. The biggest manufacturer of semiconductor fabrication equipment are Applied Materials and Lam Research, both in the bay area. ASML from Netherlands make the critical Photolithography equipment however. Beyond this, there are hundred of mid and smaller companies involved all over the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_equipment_sales_...
"DOD Awards $30.4 Million for Rare Earth Minerals Facility in Texas"
The Department of Defense and Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. will each contribute $30 million to establish a rare earths processing facility in Texas.
https://thetexan.news/dod-awards-30-4-million-for-rare-earth...
But that doesn't actually have much to do with advanced microprocessor fabs. The "tech" uses for rare earth elements are primarily in making magnets, lasers, and phosphors.
For example, what happens if China decides to take one of the Matsu Islands?
The US is obligated to respond with aggression, and Europe too. Not out of alliance, but out of strategic and economic necessity to keep the second domino from falling.
It's foolish to leave that kind of pressure point exposed to an adversary. Sooner or later, each side will feel it is defending itself against an aggressor and both will engage in what they see as a righteous war.
We can make Taiwan more secure by making it less of a pressure point and freeing our hands strategically. If we are going to react to Chinese aggression with American aggression to protect an ally, it should be decisive not reflexive.