Dear Friends,

We are thrilled to announce that the Henry Luce Foundation has awarded the 1990 Institute a generous grant to continue and expand our Teachers Workshop program in 2024. Established in 1936, the Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. We are honored to have received their support for our flagship program. 

Please join us next week on Wednesday, September 18, for our next Teachers Workshop: “Asian American Identity: Immigration History and Transgenerational Impact.” This workshop is designed to help educators and all who are interested deepen their understanding of Asian American identity through the lens of immigration history and its transgenerational impact on culture and identity. We are pleased to announce our full lineup of speakers, including University of Maryland Professor Madeline Hsu, who joins Hunter College Professor Vivian Louie and Vice Dean and Associate Professor Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng for a dynamic discussion. Whether you are an educator, student, or community member – or are simply interested in this important topic – this event offers a valuable opportunity to explore critical issues surrounding Asian American identity and the enduring influence of immigration on the community. Register for our free webinar here.

As we look toward the next stage of our growth, we are seeking a dynamic, motivated individual to become our new Director of Development. Learn more and apply here, or email us at hiring@1990institute.org.

We rely on individual contributions to sustain and grow our nonprofit programming. If you are able to make a charitable contribution of any amount, we would be so grateful to continue our work. Please share our newsletters with your friends and family and encourage them to subscribe.

Interested in teaching Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) or ethnic studies with your students or looking to deepen your understanding of Asian American identity and its immigration history? Our upcoming workshop is for you! Register today.

Taiwan and the chips that power our world

By Denise Yiran Zheng
 

I once read that “the most beautiful scenery of Taiwan is its people.” After living in Taiwan for over a month in April, I was in awe of the gentleness and kindness of the people there even more than its natural beauty. Taiwan is an island off the coast of southeastern China and is situated between Japan and the Philippines. It is 36,197 square kilometers (13,976 square miles) (a little larger than Maryland) and is densely populated, home to 23 million people.   

Taiwan is also a global high-tech leader. The semiconductor industry accounts for about 15% of Taiwan’s GDP. Semiconductors or microchips are essential components of electronic devices, such as smartphones and computers, and enable advances in many sectors of the economy, such as health care and transportation. Taiwan produces 65% of the world’s semiconductors and about 90% of the world’s most advanced chips, mostly through the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). TSMC is the world’s largest foundry, or semiconductor manufacturer, and is a major supplier for top tech companies such as Apple (TSMC produces the most advanced processors in iPhones) and Nvidia. Yet, Taiwan’s dominance is not without vulnerabilities as semiconductor production requires intensive water consumption, which also shrinks the local agricultural sector. Combined with the effects of climate change, the semiconductor industry has led southern Taiwan to experience water shortages. This points to an urgent need for Taiwan’s semiconductor industry to implement strategies to sustainably use its natural resources.   

Most countries rely on Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, with China being Taiwan’s largest customer receiving 58% of Taiwan’s semiconductor exports. Both the U.S. and China are trying to diversify away from reliance on Taiwanese chips. The Biden-Harris Administration implemented the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022 to invest nearly $53 billion to strengthen domestic semiconductor supply chains and counter China’s advances in the semiconductor industry. However, the Semiconductor Industry Association found this investment insufficient. It estimated a few years ago that the U.S. would need to invest more than $1 trillion over a decade to be self-sufficient in producing chips.

In comparison, China plans to invest over twice as much, $118 billion, over five years in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, and in May 2024, China set up a third fund of $47.5 billion to boost its chip industry. China’s largest chip foundry, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), is now the third-largest foundry in the world, only behind TSMC and South Korea's Samsung Foundry. Even so, China’s development of a self-sufficient semiconductor supply chain will be difficult as it faces sanctions from the U.S. over national security concerns. For example, in 2022, U.S. export controls restricted China from obtaining advanced chips and the equipment to produce them.   

With the U.S. and China competing for global dominance in high tech, semiconductor production can become a source of additional tension in the future as the two countries could use advanced chips to boost their military capabilities. Their race to develop alternate semiconductor supply chains will necessitate Taiwan to sustain its tech leadership by encouraging innovations and diversifying its economy. In the meantime, it will be difficult to replace Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, which it spent 30 to 40 years cultivating.

We extend our immense gratitude to the Henry Luce Foundation, which has awarded us a generous grant to support our Teachers Workshop program this year.

Curated News

ChatGPT is taking over immigrant kids’ least favorite chore: translating for their parents | NBC News  It’s not all relief that adult children of immigrants feel toward being replaced with ChatGPT. Some miss the bonding opportunity that came with helping their parents. 

Meet the Asian American designers behind Michelle Obama's and Ella Emhoff's DNC looks | NBC News  Behind two of the best-dressed women at the Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama and Ella Emhoff, were two Asian American designers: Laura Kim from the brand MONSE and Joe Ando-Hirsh.

From China to Appalachia: An unlikely musical fusion that's got young people hooked | NPR  Three musicians stumbled across a musical recipe with ingredients that, at first, seem like they don’t belong together: American and Chinese folk music. This meshing of music is attracting young audiences.

China and US push each other on priorities for UN COP29 climate talks | Financial Times  Top climate diplomat John Podesta has pressed Chinese leaders to come up with ambitious plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Take a look at our video on the importance of U.S. and China cooperation on climate: Why are Chinese and Americans the Key to Life on Planet Earth?”

Young people in China aren’t spending on romance. That’s a problem | CNN  Qixi is a holiday celebrating love and loyalty. In previous years, it was a fertile opportunity for Chinese and Western companies to market their wares. Read our exclusive newsletter essay to learn about the Chinese folk tale behind Qixi.

Chinese leader Xi meets US national security adviser as the two powers try to avoid conflict | AP News  Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in late August as the latter wound up a three-day visit with the stated aim of keeping communications open.

Analysis: The West needs China for clean energy. It will pay a price to break free | CNN  Without China’s electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, reducing planet-heating pollution could take longer and ultimately increase costs for businesses and consumers in the U.S. and Europe. 

Suicide rates differ in subgroups of young Asian Americans - UW Medicine  A study in JAMA Pediatrics identifies communities at relatively higher risk and aims to help develop targeted, culturally appropriate interventions. The study’s author said, “The important takeaway of this study is that we don’t lump data about Asian Americans into one large category, because when we do, it hides underlying disparities.” For more on the benefits of disaggregating data, see our video “Numbers Don't Lie - Model Minority Myth Explained in 3 Minutes.”

China-born neuroscientist Jane Wu lost her US lab. Then she lost her life | South China Morning Post (also available to read on MSN)  Dr. Jane Wu took her own life after her lab was shut down and all records of her work were erased by Northwestern University. The death of Wu has put attention again on efforts to pursue researchers suspected of having undisclosed ties to Beijing.

Enter the Auction: Bruce Lee’s nunchucks and other items up for grabs | MSN  An exclusive collection of treasured memorabilia from the life and film career of Bruce Lee will go under the hammer on September 28. Learn more about Bruce Lee’s life in our video “The Master of Influence with Si-Fu Bruce Lee.”

Seattle Symphony’s new music director is a major first in its history | Seattle Times  After a nearly three-year search, Seattle Symphony has selected Xian Zhang as its next music director – the first woman in that job in the Symphony’s 121 years. Hear from another Asian American woman conductor, Carolyn Kuan of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra on New Asian American Voices.

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