Tensions with Beijing throw spotlight on Taiwan's unique role in global tech

Key Facts

The firm — widely dubbed in Taiwan as its “sacred mountain” — is so important to the island that its employees can apply to be exempted from military reservist training — even if they are called upon, the defense ministry has said.
Super-advanced semiconductor chips — like the ones produced by TSMC — are difficult to make because of the high cost of development and the level of knowledge required, meaning much of the production is concentrated in just a handful of suppliers.
When asked about the differences between Taiwan and Ukraine, J. Michael Cole, a Taipei-based senior fellow with Global Taiwan Institute said that the island’s indispensable role in global supply chains, “changes how countries — the international community — will calculate their response to the threat of, or the invasion against Taiwan.”
Last week, the US Senate passed a $52 billion plan to invest in the research, design and manufacturing of semiconductor chips in the United States.