Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said that if elected he’d accept China seizing Taiwan once the US secures its own supply of semiconductors.
Speaking to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Ramaswamy said that if he becomes president he would ensure that the US is no longer reliant on Taiwan for its supply of semiconductors, a crucial component in the manufacturing of goods including smartphones and electric cars.
Taiwan dominates the manufacturing of semiconductors, producing about 60% of the world’s supply.
Ramaswamy also said that if the US could show it was serious about “semiconductor independence,” or securing its own production of the technology, it would deter Chinese aggression toward Taiwan.
“The truth of the matter is there are two reasons why China wants to annex Taiwan,” he said. “One is to squat on the semiconductor supply chain so they can exert leverage over the United States of America. That’s not happening on my watch. I’d take a firm position on that.”
“But the second reason why is that they have unfinished nationalistic business dating back to their civil war in 1949,” he added. “And if that’s the sole basis for Xi Jinping going after Taiwan after we have semiconductor independence, then you know what? I am not going to send our sons and daughters to die over that conflict. And that’s consistent with my position on Ukraine as well.”
Ramaswamy said that he’s been very clear that China’s President Xi Jinping should not mess with Taiwan until after the US has achieved semiconductor independence, “until the end of my first term when I will lead us there,” he said.
“And after that, our commitments to Taiwan, our commitments to be willing to go to military conflict, will change after that, because that’s rationally in our self-interest,” he added. “That is honest. That is true, and that is credible.”
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when the nationalist faction in the Chinese civil war fled to the island and claimed independence from the mainland’s Communist government. In recent years tensions between China and Taiwan have intensified, with Xi saying “reunification” with Taiwan must be fulfilled, and hinting that China may use force to bring it about.
The US has long maintained a position of “strategic ambiguity” regarding Taiwan, refusing to clearly state whether it would defend Taiwan if attacked. But last year, President Joe Biden said that the US would commit military force to defending Taiwan, though the White House attempted to downplay the suggestion.
Ramaswamy is among GOP candidates campaigning to reduce US involvement abroad, calling for the US to cut off support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Running for president when you know you don’t have any chance seems like the shitposter’s dream. You have an enormous platform where you can just say what the fuck ever and you know you won’t ever have to follow up on any of it.
You have an enormous platform where you can just say what the fuck ever and you know you won’t ever have to follow up on any of it.
I feel like this only replies to right-wing faux populist candidates. If they were left-wing (truly, not that AOC horse shit) then the media wouldn’t give them any air because they would fear that people might actually get turned on to the message.
yeah totally, just simply decide to have ‘semiconductor independence’, that’s how this works
Biden have billions of dollars to intel to start the process of domestic production. The executives gave shareholders the money and fired thousands of engineers immediately
Capitalists stop self-sabotaging, level
MARXISMPOSIBLE!
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I have conflicted feelings. On one hand, I’m being robbed. On the other hand, my tax money funds a yacht instead of a warship. A microcosm of American society
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Biden’s plans to reindustrialize steal Europe’s industry through tax incentives isn’t gonna work when strategic petroleum reserves run out like next year.
I think he’s imagining some scenario where both China and Taiwan let the semiconductor industry operate as normal with no strings attached lol
China invades China
US propagandists got away with Korea invades Korea, so why not
I’m pretty sure if the US leaves Taiwan it’s going to be after they destroy TSMC:
And the Taiwanese would continue to trust the US and say it was China’s fault
I wouldn’t be too surprised if this wasn’t the case, the KMT is definitely in an upwards trend maybe in 5+ years things will be a bit different idk if people would just take that
It’s also a suggestion made by think tanks. Don’t remember which one specifically
lol
Extremely critical support then I guess. The US should stay out of global affairs
It’s always funny when Americans circle around to isolationism by accident. It’s like they got the right answer on a math test by making multiple mistakes that cancel each other out.
I know where my vote’s going
Harm reduction?
Honestly, the US on-shoring its semiconductor industry would help reduce tensions over Taiwan, since it’d become less of an existential issue. Obviously, China is developing its own industry at a decent clip, but it’s a big sticking point right now.
However, based on the trouble TSMC is having in opening up a US plant, I don’t have a ton of faith that the on-shoring will work out that well: TSMC delays US chip fab opening, says US talent is insufficient | ArsTechnica
Isn’t the semiconductor access issue overblown to make Taiwan appear more important anyways? To justify aggressive stances against China.
If Americans couldn’t buy semiconductors from TSMC, they can just buy from Samsung right?Nope, TSMC manufactures around 90% of the highest end chips
I thought semiconductors were fungible, but I guess that’s not the case here.
Semiconductor manufacturing is probably by far the most difficult mass manufacturing that exists
All the factory workers are extremely high skilled
I’ve heard that it’s less that they can’t get properly trained workers, than it is that they refuse to pay American wages and work under American working standards. Taiwan is extremely exploitative of its laborer, and I think they expected to come over and do the same thing here, but workers, while atomized, aren’t that atomized yet, so they just don’t take the jobs. Doesn’t help building in a red state either, not a lot of high skilled people are gonna move to a red state and have worse everything just for a job.
On-shoring important industries is important for American labor power as well.
🥰
“today i’ll vote for the ‘non-intervention’ candidate from a party not in executive power”
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when the nationalist faction in the Chinese civil war fled to the island and claimed independence from the mainland’s Communist government. In recent years tensions between China and Taiwan have intensified, with Xi saying “reunification” with Taiwan must be fulfilled, and hinting that China may use force to bring it about.
Interesting, how did they flee to the island, John Yahoo? Did they get there all by themselves?
