But we can't manage to produce a fuckin microchip, or vital medical machines to support our economy.
We no longer produce the things we NEED. We produce the raw materials that make the things we need.
We are at a huge disadvantage.
Not really...
We have a huge technological advantage over PRC. The "grunt" work is done in PRC...which includes the mining and refining of silicon. (Which is a highly toxic and dirty process)
Taiwan has money and a highly skilled workforce when it comes time for making silicone wafers and semiconductors and other electronics that PRC doesn't have.
PRC has debts and a junk bond problem based on unreasonable real estate values.
Taiwan also has significant assets because of investments made by the whole world. Including the machines that manufacture computer chips...which only come from America. We refuse to sell the equipment (that PRC can't reproduce) to the PRC but Taiwan has these pieces of equipment.
(Also LCD technology and other tech)
PRC is wanting to nationalize and control the computer chip market completely... basically stealing technology and equipment from multi-national corporations and subjugate the entire market... destroying these corporations...like Sony, Panasonic, LG, Micron, Nvidia, and Texas Instruments. Even Microsoft and Amazon will be crippled because of this.
That's their goal...that's what will happen.
Most of our (and the world) economy will be destroyed because of this... everything from automobiles to military aircraft and telecommunications will be subject to PRC's control of the computer chip market.
Basically it's stealing, subjugation, and extortion of the entire world. The Netherlands (if I remember correctly) are the only other place that can do the silicon wafers from silicon they mine. And what they make is small potatoes by comparison of the whole market.
There are memory chip makers here in America; Micron and Western Digital and Texas Instruments and Microsoft (Intel) all have factories here. Nvidia mostly just licenses customized chips they design without actually making them.
There's several chipmakers in CA but again: small potatoes.
PRC taking Taiwan is basically stealing and then holding the world hostage. We, the whole world, can't let it happen.