China, Brazil agree to cooperate on semiconductors as geopolitical worries continue

Oleksii Liskonih/iStock via Getty Images

The Chinese and Brazilian governments on Friday signed a number of memorandum of understandings, including one designed to see both countries cooperate on semiconductors.

Celso Amorim, the foreign policy advisor of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, told Reuters that the South American nation would not stop a semiconductor factory in the country. Instead, they will work together to advance the technology.

Lula met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week to enhance cooperation between the two countries on a number of issues, including monitoring the Amazon and 5G technology.

The deepening of ties between China and Brazil comes at a tumultuous time for the Chinese semiconductor industry, as the Biden Administration and other countries have worked to curb its power, citing national security fears.

In September, Republican lawmakers warned Apple (AAPL) against the possible usage of memory chips from Yangtze Memory Technologies for the iPhone. Apple (AAPL) said it was exploring the idea and that the chips would only be used in Chinese iPhones.

Following the criticism, Apple (AAPL) shelved the idea.

Subsequently, it was reported in December that Japan and the Netherlands had agreed in principle to join the U.S. in cracking down on exporting semiconductor equipment machinery.

Since then, South Korea has also reportedly joined the consortium to stop the rise of China's chip industry.

This past August, the U.S. Chips and Science Act was signed into law by President Biden, providing domestic support for the semiconductor industry. Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:TSM) is currently building a plant in Arizona - set to open in 2024 - while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) is working on building a manufacturing plant in Ohio.

Following the passage of the legislation, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) announced in February that it would increase its investment in the Arizona plant by up to $3.5B, having already tripled its original investment in the region to $40B.

Related tickers: Intel (INTC), Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), AMD (AMD), Nvidia (NVDA), Samsung (OTCPK:SSNLF)

Comments

[Geo67]

Awesome news, Brazil should be saluted for not bending to its former master

[Know0975]

Brazil prefers China over the U.S because China respects Brazil's independence and sovereignty. U.S wants to tell Brazil how to preserve the Amazon, when they themselves have already destroyed most of their wild nature. The U.S wants to punish Brazil (extremely peaceful country)not to build nuclear submarine to protect its water, yet they U.S if full of it. You see? Brazil is also the only country to have a trade surplus with China as far as I know.

[And Value for All]

0 + 0 =/= 1

[beginner75]

@And Value for All I beg to differ. 0 + 0 = -1

[Finding Your Retirement]

people forget brazil used to be the fastest growing economy while lulu was in charge. At the time they traded precious metals to china and the money was given as a stimulus to the masses.

this is nothing more than a repeat of 2004. Looking at all the other asian and african countries China has deals with (Malaysia, laos, ghana, nigeria, etc) and their growing middle class, of course brazil would want a deal with them. Most americans don't know this but 3rd world countries are building massive cities rivaling that of new york thanks to the chinese investment. Why do you think africa which had a long tie with europe suddenly switched over to china whom they barely even known

it's american ignorance and arrogance that will lead to its downfall. And I'm not even chinese. Just a lover of history. Study rome split between the east and the west and why rome eventually fell to the Visigoth. we are right on track. or hell study Babylonian history and how the great wall of bablyon was eventually fell, the women and children sold into slavery and all the wealth was stolen

history always repeat.

[Amstragram]

Well Trump ordered the CIA to make a gift to anti-Lula by getting them to hand the car wash operation details to Moro. This is pay back, shame the democrats and America are paying for trump shenanigans :D

[the dogman]

@Amstragram quit making things up, all of this is happening under biden. He is in the Whitehouse

[Amstragram]

@the dogman you are so clueless, try to get real information from real investigation journalists, you’ll see the world is a more complicated place than you seem to understand

[Hampton108]

@Amstragram It began in 2014 and Moro was the judge at the time…best you get your facts straight. Lula certainly didn’t go to jail for anything Trump did…it was corruption at the highest level right from the beginning…

[tboucher1]

The Brandonistas are being completely outplayed by Russia and China.

[BPDFRN]

@tboucher1 “The Brandonistas are being completely outplayed (controlled / owned) by Russia and China.” Our enemies own the Washington swamp. They have been investing in it for many years.

[dbm_stuff]

Brazil is playing with FIRE. We already know LA countries, and others elsewhere, are getting grossly indebted to China. They love the benefits but sell the rights to their countries assets. Additionally, we know China has little problem with cheating and other lack of ethical practices. Yes US / Western entities my drive hard terms and condition, but you know they are playing a lot more fair.

[billrla]

@dbm_stuff I agree, but, their new government probably just sees "free" money (and not the shackles).

[tboucher1]

@dbm_stuff

The rest of the world thinks the West has gone insane.

[bluescorpion0]

@billrla every country on earth sees foreign money this way. From tourism to business. They know end of the day that they own the land and the 'rules' and can expropriate or win on their territory any time they want. After the foreigners are all gone - they will still be there.

[LK106218]

I find it strange that democratic Brazil seeks closer relations with China instead of other democracies in North America and Europe. It seems much like the rebellious teenager seeking an independent identity while Mama's still does their laundry. It must be a result of the pressures on Brazil to protect the Amazon rain forest. China shows no concern for exploitation of the environment which seems to suit Brazil. Democracy, freedom, education, capitalism, rule-of-law are the keys to raising living standards.

[Amstragram]

@LK106218 indeed, this is truly disappointing seeing this guy getting in bed with one of the most repressive dictatorship on the planet for what I guess is money.

[LK106218]

@Amstragram

We should add to our list of concerns India and Turkey. Though India seems to have embraced a rule-of-law, Brazil and Turkey are notorious for corruption. They don't seem to understand that the large corporations among the Democracies are going to avoid investments where there is political instability and corruption. Some German corporations have shown a willingness to pay to play but have eventually been caught.

[drftr]

@LK106218 You'd have a field day reading up on Indian news, my friend. Read 5 pages and you will edit your comment. We get the gist though.

drftr

[MoneyPig]

China is building relationships in the Western Hemisphere that will lead to economic and military cooperation in the backyard of the USA. The Monroe Doctrine was enacted for a reason that seems lost in Washington D.C. today.

Chine with it's new aircraft carriers will need a place to train. Why not the Gulf of Mexico, or just outside the Gulf of Mexico, south of the Bahamas. And they can start sending spy planes up and down the US Coast.

This is the future that's coming. With 1.4 billion people, China could station a million man army in Brazil.

[Worldwidepop.com]

@MoneyPig That will never happen. No need to dream up these extreme scenarios. Besides, China's population is shrinking and it has plenty of domestic problems at home. If lula wants to play around with China for now, whatever. Everyone knows that the United States is the world's meeting place

[Michael Fitzsimmons]

Thank God Biden "gets it" and passed the CHIPS & Science Act. There's a big difference between empty hot-air rhetoric to rile the base as compared to actually *doing something*.

[tboucher1]

@Michael Fitzsimmons

He's doing something - turning the rest of the world against us.

[me2020]

@tboucher1 No truth to that at all. Brought NATO back together.

[beginner75]

@Michael Fitzsimmons You're referring to Trump who is only mostly all talk? I've to agree that Biden (or rather the Biden administration) has actually accomplished many things that Trump wanted to do including withdrawing from Afghanistan and moving high tech manufacturing back to the USA.

[MoneyPig]

If you follow the story, it goes like this. Joe baited TSMC to put their investment in the USA at risk so Joe could stop them with this law from investing in China. That's how the US Gov does business. Taiwanese are so blind to the USA.

This is why GE does NO business in China. Taiwan got stuck with a many billion dollar GE nuclear power plant they never wanted and never turned on. There is a brand new, never used million tons of concrete piece of GE garbage sitting on the beautiful coast of Taiwan.

Go to the beach and there it is. Go to another beach and your will find US made weapons Taiwan was also forced to buy for a war they will never fight. Maybe fifty years ago, but not today.

The USA is the biggest waster of resources. Think 30 - 40 trillion was spent on military garbage, crap that produces no economic value since 1982. Wars for no purpose with no gain. The US spent more in Iraq than the sum total value of all the oil in Iraq. What was in Afghanistan?

If you don't hold the federal government accountable, I promise you the world will. Saudi Arabia meets with Iran in China today. The USA tossed Sadam Hussain to his death off a building. The Middle East got the message, don't do business with Americans.

[dbm_stuff]

@MoneyPig Many points you are making, but I will challenge the remark of the "military garbage" comment. I will agree those monies could have been spend more wisely, but otherwise they have been significant cost effective investments in peace, democracy which have led to incredible economic and social growth world-wide. Look countries are fighting all over the place too much of the time, and while there are exceptions, where the US / Democracy is involved the level of conflict is low. There's a lot to fairly complain about our military complex and the engagements we have been in, but IMHO our efforts have been significantly for good and greatly out-weighing the bad.

[Hampton108]

@dbm_stuff Your lost…has not been the case since WWII…read Eisenhower’s, assuming you know who he is, parting words about the military complex…

[dbm_stuff]

@Hampton108 Thanks. I know who Eisenhower is Mr. Snarkey pants. My comment is not lost at all. It's very clear US had provided significant stability (and growth) to the world and our military has provided much of that. Of course at a big cost, but the benefit has been better.

[Reality Chacer]

China, Brazil co-operation. What could possibly go wrong? Two of the most self-centered cultures on this planet.

[beginner75]

@Reality Chacer I heard Brazil is extremely corrupted.

[Reality Chacer]

@beginner75
Absolutely correct.

[Know0975]

@Reality Chacer no one is more self centered than the U.S.

[alchemist11]

Oh geeee, a communist thug leader allying with a nut job socialist leader. A match made in heaven! Good luck!!

[Oompas Unite]

@alchemist11 with people like you on the other side, they won't need it!

[TommyIrish]

@alchemist11

Biden's foreign policy problems, well ours really, aren't limited to two countries.

BRICs, ANY Middle Eastern country, Africa, etc. - nobody trusts Biden.

Mexico is falling apart and the southern border, well...

[siegfried chen]

@TommyIrish do you know how much money China loan/spend to gain those influence? what's good about Brazil and Chinese semiconductor? what's good about Middle Eastern? US is major player of exporting oil not importing, Middle Eastern is our competitor, guess what China is in this game? they are major importer of oil, they are major customer of middle eastern countries and what's good about Africa? how is that Biden's fault? god, gotta love those logic.

[redduke]

Warren Buffett sold his position at TSM at a loss. Why? Mingle business with geopolitics is a major risk. I stay clear of the semis.

[tony1066]

Lula has been a disaster for Brazil. The White House usurper has not shown any leadership. He is running off to Ireland instead of dealing with the long term issues that bedevil the country. All joe can say is MAGA bad. What a moron.

[Hampton108]

@tony1066 I’ve often wondered if he even knows what “MAGA” stands…it would be ironic if he said “Make America Great Again”…

[Moreno C]

@tony1066 yeah, Bolsonaro was great...

[BlueHorseShoes]

@Moreno C Did he throw in with the CCP like this new fool?

[Natturner1966]

Oh my goodness, I’m so scared. Lol.

[Ruggeri]

So cancel the cooperation.
We all know that the reason is not for Brazil to get technology and China to expand its power, but to scare some random guys on the internet

[prema_donna]

Have fun with 20nm+ semiconductors, Lula. The CCP threw $250 billion dollars at building advanced semiconductors, and the outcome was stolen money, jail sentences, and the percentage of imported semiconductors in the country increasing. Lula, the convicted fraudster who looted PetroBras, has once again demonstrated his crookedness - no doubt China is bribing him, or giving his "brilliant businessman" son kickbacks. Industry in Brazil will suffer because of this. Yes Bolsonaro was nuts and also pretty corrupt, but he was more pro-US and wouldn't do something this foolish. Lula sells anti-imperialism to his people and sells the country out to China, much like many third world leaders have done, including the country I'm from.

[T Wiz]

Wait to see China will buy TSM chips through Brazil

[goodwell111]

And when they build a semi plant in Arizona and Ohio, don't forget to unionaze the labor. And demand to work 24 hours a week, 45 days vacation, and minimum $60 per hour.

[DGI_Dan]

@goodwell111 good luck finding any skilled workers in semi industry to work at $60/hr. Almost all of them make more than that. There is nothing wrong with unionizing to obtain better working conditions, better benefits.

[Go and do likewise]

So frustrating that the US is not developing better relationships with South America.

[2CommaClub]

@Go and do likewise

Nah, we squeezed everything out of South America in the 20th century. There's nothing left for us except broken currencies and corrupt governments.

We've moved onto to better and more fertile pastures lol.

[billrla]

@Go and do likewise All the South Americans are here already.