The US is also getting its allies on board. In January, the Netherlands and Japan were reported to be joining in the restrictions on exports of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China, but details are presently scant.
Meanwhile, China has launched a trade dispute in the World Trade Organisation over the US’ export controls.
Will the US choke off China’s rise in artificial intelligence (AI), supercomputing as well as its AI-related military advancements? Or will it supercharge Beijing’s bid to be a technological superpower?
The programme Insight examines a face-off that could have far-reaching implications for Asia, which manufactures the bulk of the world’s microchips.
WHY SEMICONDUCTORS MATTER
Chips are “absolutely necessary” for almost everything we use in our daily lives, such as smartphones and vacuum cleaners, said Ryu Yongwook, an assistant professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, who specialises in international relations.
A chip, also called a microchip, is a set of electronic circuits on a small piece of silicon, according to Dutch firm ASML, which makes lithography or projection systems that are essential to chipmaking.
WATCH: US’ chip war on China — will China win or lose the tech race? (47:44)
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