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Nowadays, the competition in the field of chip research and development is becoming more and more intense. The United States has always occupied a leading position in technology, and giants such as Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Intel have always been representatives of this field. However, a remarkable shift is taking place recently, and the rise of TSMC has attracted the attention of the global industry. After the Huawei turmoil, the United States has become deeply interested in TSMC and does not hesitate to seek a son, is all this a coincidence or inevitability, and is there a deeper mystery behind it? Let's deeply analyze this strategic game related to the global semiconductor industry pattern.
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The starting point of the story, we focus on the end of 2022, when TSMC and the United States have entered a new phase of cooperation, which is jokingly called the "honeymoon period" by the outside world. TSMC's announcement of the construction of two advanced wafer foundries in Arizona, USA, may seem like a gesture of goodwill, but the actual motivation behind it is more complicated.
In this story, TSMC is no longer a simple semiconductor manufacturer, it has become a bright star. However, the former star now seems to be a victim on the cusp. At the beginning, the United States promised to provide TSMC with huge subsidies, but this money has not been delivered. What is even more shocking is that the stock god Buffett suddenly sold 90% of TSMC shares in his hands, causing TSMC's market value to evaporate by 180 billion yuan in an instant. Even major US shareholders such as Morgan have left one after another. For a while, TSMC seemed to be in an unprecedented predicament.
For all this, TSMC founder Zhang Zhongmou had expected it. He believes that TSMC's construction of factories in the United States is doomed to failure. He also criticized the United States for being naïve in thinking that it could enter chip manufacturing with more than 50 billion in subsidies alone.
But the crux of the matter is not just subsidies, but technology. TSMC's production lines are highly dependent on U.S. technology and equipment, one of the key technologies is EUV lithography machines, although these machines are manufactured by the Dutch company ASML, but the actual shipping rights are still subject to the United States. This makes TSMC technically subject to people, and the United States is using this to exert pressure.
However, it cannot be ignored that TSMC also has its own hole cards. Apple, Nvidia and other American technology giants are still unable to separate from TSMC's chip production technology. If TSMC chooses to cut off the supply of American companies, then the cutting-edge technology industry in the United States will also fall into crisis.
In the end, TSMC seemed to have to put its fate in the hands of the United States in order to continue to obtain orders from the United States and maintain its position in the semiconductor foundry field. This story has given the global semiconductor industry a wake-up call that only by mastering key core technologies can it gain a foothold in this highly competitive field. At the same time, the story is a reminder to Chinese companies to rely on themselves at critical times, because the United States is not a reliable partner.
There is no doubt that TSMC's story is not only about the fate of individuals, but also affects the future of the entire global semiconductor industry. How to get out of the predicament, TSMC must rethink. And we must also seriously think about who should lead the future technology industry structure?
In this fierce global competition for technology, we see the intricate interweaving of politics, business, and technology. TSMC's situation is just a microcosm of this big drama.
First, let's focus on the battle between TSMC and the United States. The United States clearly recognizes that the semiconductor industry is a key pillar of support for national security and economic independence. Therefore, they resorted to various means in an attempt to maintain their hegemony in this field. Putting pressure on TSMC is not only to support local chip companies, but also to maintain the dominance of the United States in the global technology industry.
However, TSMC is not tied up. They have become one of the world's largest semiconductor foundries, with rich technical experience and customer resources. Although constrained by some key technologies, TSMC is also constantly striving for independent innovation to reduce its dependence on external technologies. Although this process is tortuous, it also lays a solid foundation for TSMC's future development.
At the same time, the global semiconductor industry is undergoing tremendous changes. The United States, China, Europe and other places are actively promoting the development of their own semiconductor industries. The rise of China's chip industry is particularly remarkable, with the government investing heavily and attracting a large number of outstanding scientific and technological talents. This is not only China's national strategy, but also a huge reshuffle of the global semiconductor industry pattern.
For each of us, this game in the semiconductor industry is not far away. Chips are ubiquitous, and they shape every aspect of our modern lives, from smartphones to self-driving cars, from medical devices to military systems, all relying on semiconductor technology. Therefore, the fate of the semiconductor industry will directly affect our lives and future.
For the domestic semiconductor industry, this is a huge opportunity and challenge. We have seen that relying on external technologies and resources is not sustainable. Only by mastering key core technologies can we be invincible in this competition. The government, enterprises and scientific research institutions need to strengthen cooperation, increase investment in semiconductor technology research and development, and cultivate more scientific and technological talents to ensure our competitiveness in this key field.
To sum up, TSMC's fate is a thought-provoking story. It reminds us that in these uncertain and challenging times, the interweaving of technology, politics and business will shape the future of the world. Only by working closely together and innovating independently can we be invincible in this arena. TSMC's experience tells us that only by sticking to our original intention can we maintain stability in the changing situation and create a better future.