Aurora

The Great Race for Computer Chips

The tug of war that persists between the US and China has begun to permeate some of the biggest aspects of daily life. One small yet powerful aspect doing just so is the computer chip. These tiny processors are so deeply intertwined in the quotidien that we don’t even notice them anymore. Despite their importance, it is possible that we might not be able to take these chips for granted much longer.

Taiwan, a small island country off the Eastern coast of Asia, has become an expected tech titan in the 21st century. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, holds a strong grip on the production of semiconductors and computer chips. Not only are these tiny pieces of tech used in cars and smartphones, they’re also used in dishwashers and coffeemakers. TSMC has established itself as the main producer of the less complex chips used in household electronics, and is the only producer of the more advanced chips used in more advanced technology. Due to TSMC’s stronghold on the complex development of these chips, an advantageous move for China would be to make a move for decisive control over Taiwan. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory, even though Taiwan has operated independently since the ending of the Second World War. If China managed to gain a tighter grip on Taiwan, it would severely impact all interactions between countries and world operations. The threat of this move has heightened tensions between the US and China, and also made the US wary of its dependence on Taiwan.

China sees Taiwan as part of its territory, even though Taiwan has operated independently since the ending of the Second World War.

If China were to gain further control over Taiwan, they would have the ability to block American access to TSMC products. Losing access to the production of such an instrumental piece of technology would be detrimental to the way we live our lives. TSMC’s declaration that “peace in the Taiwan Strait is to every country’s benefit” is a statement that addresses the severity of the situation. The advanced processes with the use of microchips, that we now consider commonplace, would be impossible without the influence of this Taiwanese tech giant, and no country can afford to lose access to it.

By Lauren MacDonald