The China Thread

[Jacob]

True enough, but congress could still declare war. Trump might look pretty bad if he vetos that (can he veto a declaration of war?)

[HVC]

True enough, but congress could still declare war. Trump might look pretty bad if he vetos that (can he veto a declaration of war?)

Why would they do so, though? They've seemed pretty reluctant to go against the wishes of the cheeto in chief.

[Jacob]

True enough, but it's part of the calculations Xi will have to be making.

[HVC]

True enough, but it's part of the calculations Xi will have to be making.

Fair.

On the grand scheme of things I never got china's obsession with Taiwan.  Its not like they'll ever wrest control over the mainland. But I guess nationalist pride isn't always logical.

[DGuller]

I imagine tech bros wouldn't be too thrilled about losing all the chip supplies.

[HVC]

I imagine tech bros wouldn't be too thrilled about losing all the chip supplies.

How are the plans for homegrown chips coming along? I'm guessing that's the real ticking clock for Taiwan.

[DGuller]

I imagine tech bros wouldn't be too thrilled about losing all the chip supplies.

How are the plans for homegrown chips coming along? I'm guessing that's the real ticking clock for Taiwan.

I suspect they won't come through anytime soon.  Making chips is not like making sneakers, it takes years and years of know-how accumulation to do it economically, and astronomical investments to do it at all.

[grumbler]

I imagine tech bros wouldn't be too thrilled about losing all the chip supplies.

I'm pretty sure that the tech bros think they can just buy them from CCP Taiwan.

[Tamas]

I imagine tech bros wouldn't be too thrilled about losing all the chip supplies.

Seeing how they have been acting, I am assuming in case of an imminent Chinese invasion they'll lobby Trump HARD to have him make it clear the US won't intervene and to coerce Taiwan into a surrender to spare those chips.