Much of your technology - your phone, your kid’s ipad, your electric car… wouldn’t function without computer chips.

They’re basically tiny pieces of silicon semiconductor wafers that drive our tech-focused economy.

And their supply chain is highly centralized. Most chips come from just one country, Taiwan. And Taiwan is in a very delicate geopolitical position. 

China has claimed sovereignty over the island democracy since the founding of the PRC, in 1949.  

If China ever decided to exert its claims using military force – that could put chip production in danger. Potentially leading to the largest economic downfall since the Great Depression. 

According to documents obtained by the New York Times, it’s an issue tech companies here in the US have known about for years, and have largely tried to ignore.

Guest:
Tripp Mickle, Silicon Valley reporter for the New York Times

Related stories:
The Looming Taiwan Chip Disaster That Silicon Valley Has Long Ignored - NYT
Nvidia’s Quarterly Profit Hits $43 Billion on Strong A.I. Chip Sales - NYT

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Much of your technology - your phone, your kid&rsquo;s ipad, your electric car&hellip; wouldn&rsquo;t function without computer chips.
They&rsquo;re basically tiny pieces of silicon semiconductor wafers that drive our tech-focused economy.
And their supply chain is highly centralized. Most chips come from just one country, Taiwan. And Taiwan is in a very delicate geopolitical position.&nbsp; China has claimed sovereignty over the island democracy since the founding of the PRC, in 1949.&nbsp; If China ever decided to exert its claims using military force &ndash; that could put chip production in danger. Potentially leading to the largest economic downfall since the Great Depression.&nbsp;
According to documents obtained by the New York Times, it&rsquo;s an issue tech companies here in the US have known about for years, and have largely tried to ignore.
Guest:
<ul>
<li>Tripp Mickle, Silicon Valley reporter for the New York Times</li>
</ul>
Related stories:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/technology/taiwan-china-chips-silicon-valley-tsmc.html">The Looming Taiwan Chip Disaster That Silicon Valley Has Long Ignored - NYT</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/technology/nvidia-earnings.html">Nvidia&rsquo;s Quarterly Profit Hits $43 Billion on Strong A.I. Chip Sales - NYT</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

If China ever decided to exert its claims to Taiwan using military force – that could put chip production in danger. Potentially leading to the largest economic downfall since the Great Depression. 