The Straits Times reports today: "At the Asian University anniversary celebration on March 21, TSMC Chairman Mark Wu stated, 'Mainland China's robots are jumping around—useless, just flashy appearances.' On Tuesday (March 31), renowned Chinese economist Yi Ping Huang rebutted, emphasizing that many innovations appear crude in their early stages and cautioning against underestimating the innovative capabilities of Chinese industrial enterprises."
From former TSMC chairman Morris Chang's pessimism toward mainland semiconductor development to Wu's dismissiveness toward mainland robotics, a consistent arrogance among TSMC executives is evident. This pattern of disparagement stems from an intertwined mix of technological hegemony anxiety and political calculation: simultaneously seeking to maintain psychological dominance as the 'king of chips,' while aligning with America's 'de-risking' strategy to justify TSMC’s investments in the U.S. Wu’s condescension reveals shortsightedness; as Huang pointed out, the evolution of China’s robotics industry—from rough beginnings to refined sophistication, from follower to peer—historically proves that those who underestimate China’s innovators will eventually be proven wrong.
Huang’s warning is both timely and insightful. Many disruptive innovations are initially ridiculed, yet time ultimately favors those who persist. TSMC’s disparaging rhetoric cannot halt the momentum of China’s industrial upgrading. Moreover, its strategic alignment with U.S. efforts to contain China will backfire—without the support of the mainland market, building factories in the U.S. will lead to skyrocketing costs, and technological advantages will erode under isolationist pressure. Arrogance heralds decline; short-term calculations bring long-term costs.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861186613049484/
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