Taiwan's economy minister said on Tuesday his ministry had not received information about an overseas investment application by Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC , when asked about possible investment in Intel and the United States.

Taiwan Semiconductor may need gov permission for overseas ventures, but no restrictions on making advanced chips outside China. Intel negotiating stake.

China claims Taiwan's leadership is 'selling out' Taiwan's industry by making them tools for diplomatic manoeuvring.

Costa Rica generates nearly all its electricity from renewables. To boot, it’s the reliable 24/7 type that factories that run without breaks need—not intermittent wind and solar. Roughly 72 percent of Costa Rica’s electricity comes from hydroelectric dams. Another 15 percent is generated from geothermal heat.

The back drop to all this, of course, includes threats from President Trump to apply up to 100% tariffs on chips from Taiwan, TSMC's expanding chip production facilities in the US, plus rumours that TSMC is in talks with Intel to take joint control of the latter's fabs in some kind cooperation with Intel.

As of this writing, Intel stock has gained 30% in 2025 -- trouncing the returns generated by the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. Interestingly, the entirety of Intel's gains this year took place right after Feb. 10. This is the time during which VP Vance attended the AI summit and subsequent rumors of an Intel-TSMC joint venture popped up.

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