The United States Department of Commerce [DOC] introduced a new rule aimed at China’s domestic chip production. Specifically, the DOC is cutting China off from obtaining chips that could boost their supercomputers. Although is the United States too late?
Super-power aggression within the last decade has reached levels not seen since the peak of the Cold War, which at its peak, the world nearly saw armageddon. Now, the U.S. in an attempt counter China is banning the export, sell, and technological sharing of crucial chips to China. The act by the DOC is one to counter Chinese advancements in supercomputers, which the U.S. is currently progressing in rapidly. Although, many suggest that the U.S. is too late to the regulation table. The act will not only push tensions higher, but in many ways makes the world more dangerous.
Taiwan is not a country worth protecting simply due to democratic values, rather their chip and semiconductor production makes their country worth protecting. Taiwan provides nearly the entire world’s semiconductor and chip production, a fact that does not appear to be changing anytime soon.
Both the U.S. and China are willing to go to war over this issue, which Taiwan recently has vowed to destroy the technology during an event, such an invasion.
Leaving the world decades behind in technological advancements, and many developing states in the deep end of the pool.
Analysis suggest that is could impact the Chinese economy, although many are doubtful it truly will. China has been progressing rapidly in the past ten years with chip production, and technological advancements. Such an act is unlikely to truly impact the future of China. More so, the impact if felt by China, will more than likely push them towards an invasion of Taiwan. The DOC attempt to bar China from the market is more so a reflection of U.S. failure. A failure to recognize our own long term needs and adapt to them in a useful manner.
It has been known for decades that chips, semiconductors, and the facilities to build it would be the economic future of any country. The entire U.S. economy depends on the production of chips, as cars, computers, phones, and household appliances are all built upon a tiny little device-the chip.
Instead of punishing China, which is already far enough ahead of the curve of punishing. The U.S. should be attempting to produce a domestic market here for chip production.
A movement past politics, and a focus on national security would be a vital act by the US government. A World War, the death of millions, and an entirely reshaped world due to the simple need of chip security is not an ideal future. Rather, a future where the U.S. takes its own needs in hand to ensure its security is protected is more productive, vital, and useful going forward. A ban on high-end chips being sold to China does nothing, when most of U.S. imports of chips still occur across the world in East Asia.