A joint statement has become the fuse of the global chip war!
On April 5, at the Trade and Technology Council, the two major economic blocs of the United States and the European Union decided to join forces to "encircle and suppress" China's chip industry. At the meeting, they worked together and finally set a "blueprint for fighting together" for the next three years.
To the outside, this is nothing more than a play on words. But for the chip field, it can be said that it is a stone that shocks a thousand waves! Because this "handshake" across the ocean may reshape the global semiconductor supply chain pattern at any time.
Once implemented, the "encirclement and suppression" plan of both sides will have a serious impact on the development of China's chip industry. China currently occupies 60% of the market share in the traditional chip field, and has initially redefined the industry map. At present, however, there is a lot of resistance from the Western coalition.
This international contest kicked off several years ago. Since 2019, the United States has begun to exert pressure on China's high-end chip industry, vigorously subsidizing local companies, hoping to firmly control this commanding heights again.
The Chinese side did not sit idly by and tried to catch up. For example, in the strongest SMIC, Huali Microelectronics and other companies, it is not difficult to see that China's chip industry is accelerating its determination to break through.
However, the current international landscape is complex, and the pressure on China's shoulders has increased sharply. The United States and Europe have joined forces to break the unspoken rules of the traditional semiconductor industry chain and reverse the passive situation. The reason why they are in unison and "united" this time is precisely because they are worried about and wary of China's "non-market policies."
China's chip industry is provoking the attention and hostility of Western countries, and the more frustrated and courageous efforts to catch up, it has caused a strong sense of discomfort. To this end, the two sides have opened a new front in the field of global science and technology.
Who else is I? The two new forces collided and clashed
In addition to showing that the United States and Europe intend to form an "anti-China alliance", the subtext of this "joint statement" is that it intends to solve the problem of excessive concentration of supply chains.
Chips can be called the "heart" of modern economic development, and their supply and demand are often directly related to the lifeblood of the entire global industry. As a result, the supply chain is too concentrated and can easily be monopolized by a few countries and companies. If there is a supply disruption, it will inevitably cause huge losses.
The chip shortage in the past few years has caused European and American companies to fall into a serious stagflation dilemma, and there are many lessons. In their view, with the uncertain factor of China's vigorous support for the chip industry, the single supply will become more and more uncontrollable in the future.
They are eager to break this pattern and rebuild competitiveness in the form of subsidies and so on. After all, the rise of China's chip industry has surprised the United States and Europe in areas of traditional advantages. If you don't respond, you will be subversively impacted.
It is also worth noting that the joint action of the two sides is directed at the lifeline of China's chip industry: technology. The smoke of the U.S.-China tech war has not dissipated since the Trump era, and the continuous sanctions have made it difficult for China to move forward in key aspects such as high-end chip design, equipment and materials.
Once this battle starts, China's chip industry will suffer more pressure. In the face of the subsidy war, the mainland is facing not only a gap in science and technology, but also a dilemma in the system and mechanism, which must be taken seriously and dealt with.
Write at the end:
This is the clarion call for a new round of technology competition. This evolved "blueprint battle" is not as simple as simple technological competition, but also represents a new layout of productive forces and a reshuffle of the international pattern.
For China, the key is to be well prepared. First, it is necessary to dispel the West's wariness of its own "non-market economy" policies, actively integrate into international rules, and avoid being isolated. Second, we must keep pace with the times, accelerate reform and innovation, and make efforts in strategic fields such as chips, and must not be half a step behind.
Third, it is necessary not only to strengthen the self-reliance and self-reliance of science and technology led by the upper level, but also to loosen the constraints on technology companies, so that the market can play a decisive role in the allocation of chip resources.
Fourth, improve the modernization level of the industrial chain, reduce external dependence, and achieve the whole process controllable.
From top-level design to domestic and foreign companies, the formation of a complete ecosystem is undoubtedly the key to breaking the situation. An unprecedented tech game is kicking off. Whether China can ultimately achieve great results depends on itself as well as on the international environment. Only by uniting as one and overcoming difficulties can China's chip industry reach new heights on the world map.