Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lin huan chen who wrote (8254)	5/13/1999 2:38:00 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17770

lin huan chen--- May I ask, how would you feel if the Communists left power, and there was a democracy and a market economy under the rule of law? Would you prefer reunification then, or would you prefer to go your own way?

To: lin huan chen who wrote (8254)	5/14/1999 3:19:00 AM
From: Michael Sphar	Respond to of 17770

Mr. Lin, It is interesting to read through your dialog with Yiwu. I have traveled that road before and found his/her rationale both stifling and overly simplifying, besides not to the point of my original interest, that being the economic repercussions if such a forced reunification might be brought about. Your view is a breath of fresh air by comparison. I appreciate your open honesty about your reservations concerning returning. As a small matter of humor, I had heard during the fairly recent "missile" crisis that many travel agencies in Taiwan were promoting "guided missile tours" these being international travel packages to avoid the situation. I have many friends who are either Taiwanese born or descendants of same. I know it is a complex personal issue, that there are identities and loyalties in mixed directions. As one lady put it succinctly, she struggles with identity, not knowing if she was more predominantly Chinese by cultural identity, or Taiwanese by birthright or American by naturalization. She feels a part of all three and yet not fully any of the above. Without trivializing the personal turmoil and tragedy, I am personally interested in the economic ramifications of a forced reunification. I am thinking of the impact on firms such as TSMC and UMC suddenly falling under the flag of a suddenly and forcibly reunified China and what the results of such a transition would be. It is not an understatement to say that much of the technological manufacturing of the West is in Eastern hands and I see this as a significant Achilles heel of Western political entities such as the US. Various questions arise, would Singapore suddenly be faced with tremendous pressure to ramp up its semiconductor fabrication? Is that even a possibility? What else and where else? Would other geo-political regions be called upon to take up this role? Perhaps this is not the correct thread to discuss such topics. I invite you to respond to me from elsewhere, perhaps the Asia Forum? To make some Kosovo relevancy out of all this, I consider the rhetoric flying about concerning missile damage to the Chinese embassy to be completely misplaced and quite overblown. It is sad and too bad that some lives were lost due to collateral damage, but totally understandable in the context of the fog of war. I believe the issues that are driving mainland Chinese political leaders to instigate such posturing are much more pragmatic and localized, including the obvious - WTO, Tibet, Taiwan, and of course the strategic importance of what is happening currently in Indonesia, but also that this is a rare opportunity throw back in the US political face all the many years of face-loss badgering over the Tianamen Square event. What is your view to any or all of the above?