Between a Chip and a Hard Place: The Economics of Security and Sovereignty in Taiwan episode artwork

EPISODE · May 13, 2025 · 28 MIN

Between a Chip and a Hard Place: The Economics of Security and Sovereignty in Taiwan

from The Pie: An Economics Podcast · host Becker Friedman Institute at UChicago

What does Taiwan’s precarious position reveal about global power, economic leverage, and the unraveling of diplomatic norms? In this episode, economist Chang-Tai Hsieh returns to unpack Taiwan’s tangled political history, its deep economic entanglement with China, and the global stakes of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). From fears of abandonment to the high-stakes semiconductor supply chain, Hsieh explores how Taiwan balances sovereignty, security, and survival in an increasingly transactional world.

What does Taiwan’s precarious position reveal about global power, economic leverage, and the unraveling of diplomatic norms? In this episode, economist Chang-Tai Hsieh returns to unpack Taiwan’s tangled political history, its deep economic entanglement with China, and the global stakes of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). From fears of abandonment to the high-stakes semiconductor supply chain, Hsieh explores how Taiwan balances sovereignty, security, and survival in an increasingly transactional world.

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Between a Chip and a Hard Place: The Economics of Security and Sovereignty in Taiwan

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This episode was published on May 13, 2025.

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What does Taiwan’s precarious position reveal about global power, economic leverage, and the unraveling of diplomatic norms? In this episode, economist Chang-Tai Hsieh returns to unpack Taiwan’s tangled political history, its deep economic...

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