Foxconn will have to forget about investing in Tsinghua Unigroup
(2022/08/10)
- Reference: 1660130113
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/08/10/foxconn_tsinghua_investment/
- Source link:
Taiwanese electronics manufacturer and Apple supplier Foxconn will likely be forced to back out of a $800 million investment in Chinese chipmaker and foundry operator Tsinghua Unigroup, thanks to rapidly deteriorating international relations.
The government in Taiwan was already [1]considering fining Foxconn around $835,000 for failing to secure regulatory approval on the investment. But now, [2]reports have emerged that Taiwanese national security officials want the whole thing called off altogether.
"It is clear that now they have elevated this to the national security level, prospects are getting dim," said one person close to the company. "With the soaring tension in the Taiwan Strait, this is looking even more difficult."
[3]
Tsinghua Unigroup was founded in the late '80s as a wholly owned business unit of Tsinghua University in Beijing, which is funded by China's Ministry of Education. Tsinghua Unigroup's subsidiaries are involved in mobile chip design, NAND flash manufacturing, IoT, security chips, and IT infrastructure. In 2020, the business venture fell upon hard financial times and was forced to restructure.
[4]
[5]
While Tsinghua Unigroup has been looking for investors, Foxconn has sought to expand its footprint beyond electronic components into the semiconductor industry. The Taiwanese company even [6]formed a joint venture to build a chip fabrication plant in Malaysia last May and was [7]chasing a similar opportunity in India earlier this year.
But it's no surprise there is alarm as to how a partnership that would empower China's ability to produce chips would affect Taiwan, given the chaos that has ensued after US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited the island. Pelosi [8]met with semiconductor business leaders as part of the trip, highlighting the rivalry between the US and China over the semiconductor supply chain.
[9]China's semiconductor self-sufficiency drive slid backwards in 2020
[10]US mulls more export bans – this time, memory – in war on Chinese chipmakers
[11]China's chip-making ambitions face setbacks
[12]Foxconn faces fine for unsanctioned Chinese chip investments
China insists Taiwan is a rogue province that illegitimately defies Beijing by practicing democratic self-governance, and therefore was unhappy with Pelosi's visit. As a show of force, Beijing sent 27 aircraft into the Taiwan air defense identification zone (ADIZ), and conducted live fire exercises by sea in six zones around the island. Cyberattacks were also reported on both Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence and [13]Taiwan's presidential website.
It is widely acknowledged that both Taiwan's strength and allure with China lies in its semiconductor affluence as China is reliant on maintaining a steady stream from chipmakers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
[14]
A 2021 US Army journal paper even [15]suggested if Taiwan was threatened by China, it should credibly threaten to destroy TSMC to force the Middle Kingdom to reconsider.
TSMC chairman Mark Liu [16]argued last week that taking TSMC by force would be a bad move for China as the company relies on international business cooperation and sensitive processes that would be deeply disturbed by an invasion.
Liu also revealed that China comprises about 10 percent of TSMC's business and therefore its absence would cause great economic turmoil for the country.
[17]
China has set itself [18]a goal to be at least 70 percent self-reliant when it comes to silicon by 2025, a number it is far from on track at making. While some investment from Foxconn in Tsinghua Unigroup would not instantly make up the difference, it certainly would not hurt Beijing's progress. And any disruption in the world's semiconductor balance in favor of China is not the right move for a calm Taiwan. ®
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/15/foxconn_faces_fine_for_unsanctioned/
[2] https://www.ft.com/content/866467a4-6627-4356-ac46-6ede989f3d66
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/18/foxconn_dnex_malaysia_fab_jv/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/14/foxconn_vedanta_india_chip_factory_jv/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/04/taiwanese_military_reports_ddos_in/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/22/ic_insights_china_silicon_market_share/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/01/china_memory_us_ban/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/09/chinese_chipmaking_ambitions/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/15/foxconn_faces_fine_for_unsanctioned/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/03/pelosi_taiwan_visit_cyberattacks/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/05/taiwan_should_destory_tsmc_paper/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/03/tsmc_chairman_interview/
[17] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/22/ic_insights_china_silicon_market_share/
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The government in Taiwan was already [1]considering fining Foxconn around $835,000 for failing to secure regulatory approval on the investment. But now, [2]reports have emerged that Taiwanese national security officials want the whole thing called off altogether.
"It is clear that now they have elevated this to the national security level, prospects are getting dim," said one person close to the company. "With the soaring tension in the Taiwan Strait, this is looking even more difficult."
[3]
Tsinghua Unigroup was founded in the late '80s as a wholly owned business unit of Tsinghua University in Beijing, which is funded by China's Ministry of Education. Tsinghua Unigroup's subsidiaries are involved in mobile chip design, NAND flash manufacturing, IoT, security chips, and IT infrastructure. In 2020, the business venture fell upon hard financial times and was forced to restructure.
[4]
[5]
While Tsinghua Unigroup has been looking for investors, Foxconn has sought to expand its footprint beyond electronic components into the semiconductor industry. The Taiwanese company even [6]formed a joint venture to build a chip fabrication plant in Malaysia last May and was [7]chasing a similar opportunity in India earlier this year.
But it's no surprise there is alarm as to how a partnership that would empower China's ability to produce chips would affect Taiwan, given the chaos that has ensued after US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited the island. Pelosi [8]met with semiconductor business leaders as part of the trip, highlighting the rivalry between the US and China over the semiconductor supply chain.
[9]China's semiconductor self-sufficiency drive slid backwards in 2020
[10]US mulls more export bans – this time, memory – in war on Chinese chipmakers
[11]China's chip-making ambitions face setbacks
[12]Foxconn faces fine for unsanctioned Chinese chip investments
China insists Taiwan is a rogue province that illegitimately defies Beijing by practicing democratic self-governance, and therefore was unhappy with Pelosi's visit. As a show of force, Beijing sent 27 aircraft into the Taiwan air defense identification zone (ADIZ), and conducted live fire exercises by sea in six zones around the island. Cyberattacks were also reported on both Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence and [13]Taiwan's presidential website.
It is widely acknowledged that both Taiwan's strength and allure with China lies in its semiconductor affluence as China is reliant on maintaining a steady stream from chipmakers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
[14]
A 2021 US Army journal paper even [15]suggested if Taiwan was threatened by China, it should credibly threaten to destroy TSMC to force the Middle Kingdom to reconsider.
TSMC chairman Mark Liu [16]argued last week that taking TSMC by force would be a bad move for China as the company relies on international business cooperation and sensitive processes that would be deeply disturbed by an invasion.
Liu also revealed that China comprises about 10 percent of TSMC's business and therefore its absence would cause great economic turmoil for the country.
[17]
China has set itself [18]a goal to be at least 70 percent self-reliant when it comes to silicon by 2025, a number it is far from on track at making. While some investment from Foxconn in Tsinghua Unigroup would not instantly make up the difference, it certainly would not hurt Beijing's progress. And any disruption in the world's semiconductor balance in favor of China is not the right move for a calm Taiwan. ®
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/15/foxconn_faces_fine_for_unsanctioned/
[2] https://www.ft.com/content/866467a4-6627-4356-ac46-6ede989f3d66
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/18/foxconn_dnex_malaysia_fab_jv/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/14/foxconn_vedanta_india_chip_factory_jv/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/04/taiwanese_military_reports_ddos_in/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/22/ic_insights_china_silicon_market_share/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/01/china_memory_us_ban/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/09/chinese_chipmaking_ambitions/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/15/foxconn_faces_fine_for_unsanctioned/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/03/pelosi_taiwan_visit_cyberattacks/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/05/taiwan_should_destory_tsmc_paper/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/03/tsmc_chairman_interview/
[17] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/systems&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YvPWKM39oenbQ5QKIjvIMQAAAAU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/22/ic_insights_china_silicon_market_share/
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Propagoonda... let's play GO
At this point, the US has made Taiwan Semiconductor a flash point. In an effort to control TSMC the US has left no doubt it would destroy TSMC if it were not to abide the will of the US Gov.
"A 2021 US Army journal paper even suggested if Taiwan was threatened by China, it should credibly threaten to destroy TSMC to force the Middle Kingdom to reconsider." A US General went further and said Taiwan should destroy TSMC, if attacked by China.
To appease its US Master, TSMC is building the LARGEST FAB PLANT EVER in Phoenix AZ. Brookings Institution, a US think tank wrote, that the cost of producing chips in the US was 50% higher than that in Taiwan. TSMC is learning that the cost of building a factory is also 30% higher than expected. Further, they can't find employees. Intel who is building three or four bigger plants has gotten to the workplace before TSMC. So TSMC isn't sure they can get a workforce to their new plants. also said TSMC’s way of management in Taiwan might not work in the US.
The US grand plan is to have roughly 30 fab plants in the USA. Each plant will be fabricating chips at over 50% more than the cost of Taiwan and Korea. Where is the market for these expensive fab chips? How will these 30 gov subsidized fab plants stay in business?
And a bigger question is what happens to Taiwan when the USA becomes the "epicentere" of the global FAB business? Well, the US won't need Taiwan or Korea at that point. In fact, if the US fabs offer massive salaries and make even more expensive FAB chips, they can lure the expertise from Tawain and Korea leaving Taiwan and Korea out in the rain.
At that point the US will have no more use of Taiwan. THE US plan will have effectively destroyed ASIA and the US will become the greatest high-tech manufacturing centre the "World has ever known."
AS Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) declared in November 2008: “A business model based on gas — a gas-guzzling past — is unacceptable. We need a business model based on cars of the future, and we already know what that future is: the plug-in hybrid electric car.” Now in 2022 Every Murican has a Hybrid car plugged into their garage wall outlet.... and Chuck Schumer leads the FABRICATION REVOLUTION to even greater heights in Murica.
What should China do at this point... nothing but continue work on their own fab and chip development and lithography.
The stumbling block for all the Chip Fab is ASML. This company only produces a handful of EUV machines a year and just owning one does not conclude they are used properly. They are a very primitive devices requiring enormous manpower inputs. Understand also the few EUV machines only function in the narrow gated arena which is just 5% of the global semiconductor market. So the US emphasis on narrow gated chips is misplaced.
Narrow gated chips are more temperature sensitive and subject to leakage so yields are lower. So chasing this is a bust. China is already making its own 28nm lithography. China can make 7nm chips today.... So where will China be in five years when the US Fab plants are projected to come online to take over the world? China will likely meet its target of 80% self-sufficiency in five years and they will likely have EUV by then as well or developed carbon-based wafers. China will play the long game and Murians will as usual sell their chickens long before they buy the eggs.