An editorial published in the Taipei Times on October 11, 2025, argues against the popular notion that Taiwan's security is guaranteed by TSMC's dominance in the semiconductor industry, a concept often referred to as the "silicon shield." The piece suggests that this belief is an illusion and that Taiwan's safety relies more on its own military strength, democratic values, and international alliances. The article frames TSMC's global expansion not as a loss for Taiwan, but as a strategic evolution into a distributed technological empire. This analysis comes amid broader discussions about Washington's reported desire for Taiwan to move a significant portion of its semiconductor production overseas. There is no market reaction to report as this is an opinion piece, not a financial announcement from the company.