[giantg2]

I don't see why that would be a bonus. You could actually be in China with a lower cost of living and bigger talent pool that speaks the language, assuming the goal is China-centric tech. If it's not specific to China, then opening a small branch office there should be specific. There are also a variety of regulatory and IP issues when working with China which might influence being in country vs out, but none of that should influence the decision to build a tech scene in HI.

[muzani]

There's plenty of other "close to China" US-friendly places too, like Singapore, which is also a tech hub. Or the other SE Asian islands if you want something exotic, cheap, and English-speaking.