Source: Libertarian Institute
by Joseph Solis-Mullen
“Today, Taiwan occupies a uniquely important position in the global economy. The island produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s most advanced semiconductors, manufacturing the chips that power everything from smartphones and artificial intelligence systems to automobiles, satellites, and advanced weapons platforms. Taiwan has become so central to the modern technological order that analysts since the 1990s have routinely described its semiconductor industry as a ‘silicon shield,’ a strategic asset so important that no major power can afford to see it disrupted. As the debate continues over whether to de-risk or re-shore American semi-conductor supply chains, how we arrived at this point can be instructive.” (07/02/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-cold-war-origins-of-taiwans-silicon-shield