TSMC and access to Taiwanese chips rank very low in Xi's Taiwan decision calculus because he has confidence China will figure out chips over time and would simply scuttle the fabs if he invaded; what genuinely gives him pause is the broader economic cataclysm, since a full-scale invasion would gamble everything the party has achieved since Mao's death and could undo the party's legitimacy.

causalpending

Speaker

John

Evidence Quote

he's basically gambling not just with his legacy, but with everything that the party has achieved since the death of Mao. All the progress it's made, all that it's built up, and it could really damage or undo the the party's legitimacy.

Source

Xi's PLA PURGES Explained by Top CIA AnalystChinaTalk
Created: 6/18/2026, 1:57:49 PM

My Notes

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