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21st-century gold: Taiwan’s TSMC makes a third of the world’s silicon chips. This fascinating essay by Virginia Heffernan explores the extraordinary complexity and importance of the “fabs”, the factories that produce the chips that have become indispensable to us in less than a century. It’s difficult to understate the importance of such a place. Taiwan is at the centre of battles for territory, and also the key provider of a technology of central geostrategic importance. Many governments are now trying to build up a domestic microchip industry, but Taiwan will remain the main player for some time to come.
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